Imagine being trapped in a car, unable to control it as it loops endlessly. This was the bizarre experience of Mike Johns, a Los Angeles-based tech entrepreneur, who found himself stuck in a malfunctioning self-driving Waymo vehicle. Instead of driving him to his destination, the vehicle began circling repeatedly. The incident occurred in Phoenix while he was heading to Sky Harbor airport, nearly costing him his flight. Let’s have a closer look.
Tech Entrepreneur Trapped in a Driverless Car
Mike Johns, an experienced tech entrepreneur and self-described futurist, was using a Waymo robotaxi for his trip to the airport. However, instead of heading to his destination, the autonomous car began circling a parking lot repeatedly—eight times in total.
Initially, Johns thought it was a prank orchestrated by one of his clever tech-savvy friends. But as the vehicle continued to loop, the reality set in: this was no joke. “I got my seat belt on. I can’t get out of the car. Has this been hacked? What’s going on?” he said in a video he later posted on LinkedIn. The video captured his growing concern as he interacted with a Waymo representative.
Johns said he became dizzy from the endless circling. Despite the representative’s efforts to stop the vehicle remotely and guide Johns through the app, she admitted, “I don’t have an option to control the car.” His immediate fear was missing his flight. Fortunately, the car finally stopped after a few minutes, and Johns, whose flight had been delayed, managed to catch it.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Johns expressed frustration about today’s technology. “It’s just, again, a case of today’s digital world. A half-baked product and nobody meeting the consumers in the middle,” he told CBS Los Angeles. Adding a touch of humor, he referred to autonomous vehicles as “human-less cars” and said, “We have glitches that need stitches.”
How Autonomous Vehicles Handle Glitches
Waymo later identified the incident as a “looping event” and resolved it through a scheduled software update. The company assured that such glitches are rare, emphasizing that it has provided over 4 million successful autonomous rides across cities like Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin.
However, this isn’t the first time autonomous vehicles have faced scrutiny. Past incidents include a Waymo car colliding with a cyclist and another hitting a dog. These events fuel public concerns about the reliability and safety of driverless cars. While millions of rides have been completed without incident, such high-profile mishaps raise questions about the balance between innovation and safety.
Johns’ case underscores the unpredictability of emerging technology. While glitches are inevitable in cutting-edge systems, they highlight the need for robust fail-safes and better human intervention in moments of crisis.
The Passenger’s Viewpoint
Despite the unsettling experience, Johns remains optimistic about the future of autonomous vehicles. As a futurist, he believes these cars represent the direction society is headed. “As a futurist, I feel like this is where everything is headed, so you might as well get there first,” he remarked.
His background in AI and technology initially led him to suspect a prank. Yet, as the car’s erratic behavior continued, he recognized the gravity of the glitch. The experience, he said, felt like a scene from a sci-fi movie. It also served as a case study for a book he’s writing on how artificial intelligence impacts jobs. “I became my own case study,” he said, reflecting on the insights gained from the incident.
While Johns plans to use autonomous cars again, he acknowledges the challenges. “It just reminded me of the ghost in the machine,” he said, referring to the unpredictable nature of AI-driven systems.

The Broader Debate: Are We Ready for Driverless Cars?
Johns’ story adds to the growing debate about whether society is prepared for a driverless future. While companies like Waymo tout impressive safety records and technological advancements, incidents like these reveal vulnerabilities.
Public concerns include safety risks, ethical dilemmas, and the reliability of systems when things go wrong. For Johns, the lack of clarity on whether he was speaking to a human or AI during the ordeal underscored the importance of building trust in the technology. Effective communication and strong customer support will be crucial for widespread adoption.
Waymo’s expansion into major cities demonstrates confidence in its technology, but these hiccups highlight the need for continuous improvement. Ensuring robust testing, better fail-safe mechanisms, and consumer-centric support systems will be vital steps toward gaining public trust.
Conclusion
Mike Johns’ unsettling ride in a driverless car serves as both a cautionary tale and a glimpse into the future of transportation. It highlights the promise and pitfalls of autonomous vehicles, emphasizing the importance of addressing technical glitches and improving consumer experiences.
Despite the challenges, Johns remains optimistic, viewing driverless cars as an inevitable part of the future. “Glitches need stitches,” he said, summing up the need for continuous innovation and refinement. While autonomous vehicles still have a long way to go, stories like this remind us of the fascinating, albeit bumpy, road ahead.
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