Robotaxi companies are refusing to provide basic data about how frequently remote assistance operators intervene in self-driving vehicles, the report shows. The inquiry, led by Sen. Ed Markey, sought information from Aurora, May Mobility, Motional, Nuro, Tesla, Waymo, and Amazon’s Zoox.
The letters from Markey’s office asked for details on remote assistance teams and their role in on-road operations. Their responses are detailed in a report from Markey’s office, and the companies mostly withheld the requested intervention frequency figures.
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The inquiry follows a February hearing where Markey pressed Waymo and Tesla about remote operators. The report notes Waymo’s chief safety officer disclosed that some remote agents are based in the Philippines, and it cites safety incidents, including an Austin case in which a Waymo vehicle passed a stopped school bus after incorrect input from a remote assistant.
Markey urged regulatory action, saying "there need to be strict rules around the use of remote assistants," according to the report. The document compiles the companies’ responses but does not list intervention rates, and it highlights differences in practices—Tesla says it allows remote operators to take control, while Waymo reports using offshore remote agents.
The recap
- Companies declined to disclose how often remote operators intervene.
- Sen. Markey sent letters to seven robotaxi companies.
- Their responses are detailed in a report from Markey's office.
