Waymo Self-Driving Car Strays onto Tracks, Forcing Passengers to Flee; Tesla Shifts FSD to Subscription, Intensifying Rivalry

Recently, Waymo, a subsidiary of Google, was involved in a serious incident in Phoenix, Arizona: one of its Level 4 autonomous vehicles mistakenly drove onto railway tracks with trains approaching from both directions. Passengers inside panicked and fled the vehicle. Fortunately, staff promptly assisted in removing the car from the tracks, and no injuries occurred. The incident has reignited criticism over Waymo’s aggressive technological approach. Meanwhile, Tesla announced it will discontinue the one-time purchase option for its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system and fully transition to a subscription model. It also launched an upgraded V14.2 version, which significantly enhances perception capabilities and performance in complex driving scenarios. This move not only reflects Tesla’s growing confidence in FSD but also signals an intensifying competition in the autonomous driving race.