16th May 2026 – (London) A senior executive involved in developing autonomous vehicle technology has cautioned that self-driving cars still fall short of human judgment, warning that artificial intelligence systems lack the “common sense” needed to respond reliably to unexpected road conditions.
Igal Raichelgauz, chief executive of Autobrains, which provides AI systems for driverless vehicles, told the Financial Times Future of the Car conference that relying solely on data-driven learning is insufficient. He argued that while feeding vehicles large volumes of real-world examples can train them to recognise traffic signals and common scenarios, such an approach leaves limitations when unusual or unforeseen events arise.
His comments follow a recent incident in San Antonio, Texas, in which a Waymo robotaxi entered a flooded road and was swept away. The episode prompted the recall of nearly 3,800 vehicles in the United States. Waymo, owned by Alphabet, said the action was taken after identifying the need to improve how its software handles flooded lanes on higher-speed roads. The company has since pledged to introduce additional safeguards, refine its response to extreme weather and restrict access to areas at risk of flash flooding.
Raichelgauz stressed that autonomous systems must be capable not only of pattern recognition but also of reasoning. He said that teaching a car to respond appropriately to something as routine as a red traffic light can require thousands or even millions of data samples, which exposes the limits of example-based machine learning. In his view, next-generation systems must be able to interpret and adapt beyond their training sets if they are to operate safely at scale.
Waymo is currently testing its autonomous ride-hailing service in London as part of efforts to expand internationally. The firm has partnered with Jaguar Land Rover to equip electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles with its “Waymo Driver” technology. During UK trials, a human safety driver remains behind the wheel in accordance with regulatory requirements, reflecting Britain’s measured and safety-first approach to innovation.
However, the London trials have not been without controversy. In recent weeks, one Waymo vehicle reportedly entered a taped-off crime scene in Harlesden, north-west London. Residents in Shoreditch have also raised concerns about robotaxis mistakenly driving into a no-through road before reversing out with warning signals activated. In a separate incident near Battersea Park, dashcam footage appeared to show a pedestrian confronting a stationary Waymo car, after which the onboard safety driver proceeded through a red light to leave the scene.
Despite these setbacks, Waymo maintains that its technology enhances road safety. The company says that across 96 million miles driven without a human at the wheel, its vehicles have been involved in significantly fewer injury-causing collisions compared with human drivers. Senior executives have reiterated their ambition to expand services responsibly in the United Kingdom, emphasising collaboration with regulators and a commitment to public safety.