Waymo's Overseas Operators Draw Fire in Congress Over Safety

During a congressional hearing, Waymo disclosed that fleet-response operators based overseas (including the Philippines) provide guidance to its autonomous taxis, though Waymo says these workers do not remotely drive and the vehicle remains in control. Lawmakers expressed safety and cybersecurity concerns about foreign inputs and licensing, while Waymo stressed operators are licensed, background-checked, and regularly screened. The session follows incidents involving robotaxis and broader scrutiny of how much real-time human input underpins so-called autonomous driving.