There have been many dire warnings about the dangers of making AI too smart, lest it become sentient.

And is there anything more “human” than gathering together to scream into the void amidst an existential crisis?

I’m not saying thee robotaxis gathering to honk is that, but…I’m not saying it’s not that, either.

The Waymo robotaxis are at large in San Fransisco, and the gathering spot is an apparently confusing parking lot.

We’ve all been there, right?

Local residents like Randol White are unamused at being woken up in the middle of the night be driverless taxis, though.

“At first I actually found it really funny, these cars are honking at each other. I don’t find it funny anymore.”

Imagine being woken up at 4 a.m. by cars honking at each other. That’s what some San Francisco residents have been dealing with for weeks, as the Waymos can be heard in this video honking and blinking headlights in a parking lot outside of their condo. https://t.co/2cVmDfUk4i pic.twitter.com/pkxNTT5vXd
— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) August 13, 2024

Russell Pofsky, who lives nearby White, has to agree.

“Over the past two weeks I’ve been woken up more times overnight than I have combined over 20 years.”

Waymo taxis have just recently been made available to everyone in the city, no waitlist required.

I doubt anyone expected them to struggle with navigating a parking lot, or to try to communicate their distress with each other.

Waymo made a statement to the LA Times.

“We are aware that in some scenarios our vehicles may briefly honk while navigating our parking lots.”

White and others take issue with the “briefly” characterization, since they claim it’s happening all hours of the day and night, and often more than once a day.

Every new industry has had growing pains, but people are understandably jumpy about getting into a car and letting it drive them while it’s still working out kinks.

At least the group honking seems harmless, if annoying.

Let’s hope they’re not planning things in a language of honks we just don’t understand.

If you thought that was interesting, you might like to read about the mysterious “pyramids” discovered in Antarctica. What are they?