The truth about technology and the ‘army of engineers’ providing remote support

Big names in the technology industry such as Waymo, Tesla, and other startups are working to bring fully self-driving car technology to life, with great ambitions to revolutionize transportation and provide driverless taxi services. While Waymo’s self-driving cars are already rolling on the roads of San Francisco, Phoenix, and many other cities in the United States, a recent report from New York Times revealed what few people know about how these vehicles actually work.

Self-driving technology: Not completely automatic

Most people think that self-driving cars rely entirely on sensors, cameras, and on-board computers to perceive the environment and make decisions. Although this is partly true, few people know that in addition to modern sensors, self-driving car companies like Zoox and Waymo also maintain a team of engineers specializing in remote support whenever these cars encounter difficulties – intervening when the vehicles cannot resolve certain situations on their own.

For example, when self-driving cars encounter construction zones or road incidents that they cannot recognize, engineers will receive warnings from the system and immediately intervene. An engineer from Zoox, Marc Jennings, shared that the technical team does not completely control the vehicle but only provides guidance for the vehicle to overcome complex situations. They can use a computer mouse to draw an alternative route on the screen, helping the vehicle move safely around obstacles.

The important role of humans

Although self-driving systems have developed very strongly in recent years, unexpected situations still frequently occur, requiring human intervention. One report said that self-driving cars could get stuck in situations such as fire trucks parked on the road or roads changing due to construction work. In such cases, engineers will be called in to help the vehicle find a solution.

However, companies like Waymo and Zoox still maintain a cautious attitude when publicly detailing the extent of their reliance on remote support teams. They did not disclose the number of engineers working, or how often situations required human intervention. This shows that, although self-driving technology has made significant progress, achieving a fully automated system still faces many challenges.

Promising technology and fierce competition

With billions of dollars invested in research and development of self-driving vehicles, companies in the industry are competing fiercely to gain an edge in the technology race. Tesla, with CEO Elon Musk, has repeatedly stated that its cars will soon be capable of fully self-driving, but reality shows that this technology is not yet ready for widespread launch. Meanwhile, services like Waymo’s self-driving taxis have operated quite successfully in major US cities, but still require remote support from technical experts.

Competition in this industry lies not only in developing technology, but also in attracting investment capital. Startups and large corporations all need huge financial resources to maintain the research, development and testing of self-driving cars. To achieve this goal, they often have to “hype” the potential of technology, creating the impression of a future where vehicles can operate completely without human intervention.

While the US and other developed countries are gradually deploying self-driving taxi services, the question is whether this technology can be popular in emerging markets like Vietnam? The traffic system in Vietnam, characterized by high vehicle density and complex street structure, can be a big challenge for self-driving cars. However, with the continuous development of technology, Vietnam cannot be left out of this global trend.

Technology car companies may be interested in testing self-driving technology in Vietnam’s major cities, where transportation demand is high and technological innovation is happening strongly. However, the deployment of self-driving cars requires modern road infrastructure, synchronized transportation systems, and most importantly, a change in consumer mindset towards mobility.

Self-driving cars are getting closer to becoming a reality in everyday life, but the dependence on humans is still huge. This technology not only requires technical breakthroughs, but also requires strong support from engineers and experts when encountering unexpected situations. Despite great progress, the journey to achieving full autonomy is still long and challenging.

With the rapid development of technology, it is not difficult to imagine that one day we will see self-driving taxis not only on American streets, but also weaving their way onto crowded roads in Vietnam. However, that path will take a lot of time and effort to become a reality.