Driverless Waymo Enters Denver Farmers Market
Driverless Waymo Enters Denver Farmers Market
Anonymous
Key Points
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The South Pearl Street Farmers Market normally occupies the 1400 and 1500 blocks of South Pearl Street from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; the Waymo arrived around 8:40 a.m., during the final period of vendor setup. The market had about 160 vendors preparing that morning.
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Market officials said Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure planned to contact Waymo to establish what workers should do if another autonomous vehicle enters a closure, including how they can communicate with or stop it.
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Waymo had only recently begun allowing members of the public to book rides in Denver, making the incident an early test of the company’s newly expanded local service.
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Waymo defended its broader safety record, saying its vehicles drive millions of autonomous miles each week and achieve 94% fewer serious-injury crashes than human drivers.
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The vehicle reportedly entered the market after coming from South Washington and following vendor traffic as though it were another vendor vehicle, rather than simply driving through a fully sealed road.
A driverless Waymo robotaxi drove through Denver's South Pearl Street Farmers Market on Sunday morning while vendors were still setting up, slipping past temporary barricades and road-closure signs WPXI. Workers cleared people from its path and tried to guide the vehicle out, but without a driver to communicate with, stopping it proved difficult. The car eventually left the area on its own after stopping and starting several times. No one was injured, and market officials said the vehicle was moving slowly and did not appear reckless WSOC-TV.
How the Robotaxi Got Past Safety Barriers
The incident happened around 8:40 a.m., before the farmers market officially opened at 9 a.m. About 160 vendors were preparing their booths when the Waymo entered from South Washington Street Action News Jax. The vehicle apparently followed a vendor vehicle past a "Road Closed" sign, treating it like a legitimate market entry rather than recognizing the closure. The robotaxi weaved through the 1400 and 1500 blocks of South Pearl Street, where temporary barriers and signs clearly marked the area off-limits to normal traffic WSBTV.
The Challenge of Stopping an Autonomous Vehicle
Market workers quickly realized they could not simply flag down or speak to the driverless car. Without a driver in the seat, traditional ways of communicating—hand signals, shouts, or emergency gestures—became ineffective. Workers had to physically clear people from the vehicle's path while hoping it would navigate out on its own WPXI. Denver's Department of Transportation and Infrastructure now plans to meet with Waymo to establish protocols for workers if another autonomous vehicle enters a closure area.
Waymo's Response and Safety Record
Waymo stated that the vehicle recognized the unusual conditions and maneuvered out of the area on its own WSOC-TV. The company said it is reviewing the incident as part of its ongoing safety efforts. Waymo also emphasized its broader track record, noting that its vehicles drive millions of autonomous miles each week and experience 94% fewer serious-injury crashes than human drivers. The incident comes as Waymo has only recently begun allowing members of the public to book rides in Denver.
Growing Concerns About Temporary Road Changes
This is not the first time a Waymo has entered a Denver-area farmers market, raising fresh questions about whether the vehicles can reliably handle temporary road closures and shifting conditions WPXI. The incident has renewed public skepticism about the company's technology. Market officials and city planners now face the urgent task of figuring out how to make autonomous vehicles aware of temporary barriers and road changes before more incidents occur.
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