--- title: "Swarm of Empty Waymos Descends on Unsuspecting Suburb, Circle Cul-de-Sacs for Hours on End Like Strange Ghosts" description: "Residents of one Atlanta suburb are concerned as their otherwise sleepy streets become a gathering place for Waymos." date: "2026-05-17" modified: "2026-05-17" authors: - name: "Joe Wilkins" job_title: "Correspondent" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jwilkins" url: "https://futurism.com/advanced-transport/swarm-waymos-atlanta-suburb" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Self-Driving Vehicles" --- # Swarm of Empty Waymos Descends on Unsuspecting Suburb, Circle Cul-de-Sacs for Hours on End Like Strange Ghosts ![Rows of white autonomous cars with roof-mounted sensors are parked in a lot, viewed from above. The image has a stylized, high-contrast filter with dark blue and yellow tones.]() *Illustration by Tag Hartman-Simkins / Futurism. Source: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images* Nearly a year after Waymos [touched down in Atlanta]() for the first time, residents of the community of Buckhead, Georgia have noted a massive influx of the company's autonomous vehicles trying to forge a path through their neighborhood. The result is a massive increase in vehicle traffic — and occasional weird ritual-like scenes as the AVs circle cul-de-sacs for hours on end. "It's almost every little cul-de-sac in our area, so I think it's a problem," one neighbor [told the local *WSBTV*](). While it'd be forgivable if residents were just going hog-wild on Waymo rideshares, most of the AVs filmed by residents appear completely empty. One clip making the rounds on social media shows numerous Waymos simultaneously roll into an otherwise deserted roundabout, circling ominously like something out of a [Stephen King story](). While it's possible the [algorithmically-guided]() vehicles are using area roundabouts to correct their direction of travel — where most humans would just pull a U-turn or look for a driveway to K-turn in— the visual effect of multiple Waymos loitering like buzzards is startling, to say the say least. "We had, at one point, eight Waymos that were stuck trying to figure out how to turn around," a local resident said. In the US and Canada, most suburbs are designed to accommodate heavy traffic at [arterial collector roads]() — it's unusual for a road lined with houses to become major throughways. "We would like to just see them stay on main traffic roads," one neighbor told *WSBTV*. "I don't think there's any reason for them to be on small residential cul-de-sacs if they're not picking up somebody." Residents say they've struggled to get any response from Waymo representatives, and requests to city council members and the Georgia Department of Transportation seem to be in limbo. However, when pressured by Atlanta reporters, Waymo issued a boilerplate statement. "At Waymo, we are committed to being good neighbors," it read. "We take community feedback seriously and have already addressed this routing behavior. With over 500,000 weekly trips across the country, our service is proven to significantly reduce traffic injuries and improve road safety. We value our relationship with Atlanta residents and remain focused on providing a seamless, respectful, and safe experience for riders and residents alike." **More on Waymo:** *[Waymo Admits Its Robotaxis Have a Small Issue With Driving Into Floodwaters]()* ## Author At Futurism, I focus on the intersection of technology and power — examining the economics, history, and politics behind today’s dystopian headlines. As a writer, I’m interested in topics ranging from AI’s impact on labor to startups nobody asked for. My prior work includes bylines in Jacobin, Verso, and Blue Labyrinths. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Forbes, The Guardian, MIT Technology Review, Time, The Nation, Mother Jones, The Verge, and Wired. I grew up in Michigan, attending Central Michigan University as well as Ball State University, where I earned a master of music. I now live in Brooklyn with my girlfriend and our cat Ziti. On weekends, you can find me hunched over a cold pint arguing geopolitics with the other transplants. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()