--- title: "Waymo Says There’s a Perfect Reasonable Explanation for Its Car Roaming a Golf Course" description: "A video of one of Waymo's autonomous ride-hailing vehicles driving over the carefully groomed lawn of a golf course has gone viral." date: "2025-09-29" modified: "2025-09-29" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/advanced-transport/waymo-car-golf-course" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Mass Transit" - "Robotics" - "Robots and Machines" - "Self-Driving Vehicles" --- # Waymo Says There’s a Perfect Reasonable Explanation for Its Car Roaming a Golf Course ![A video of one of Waymo's autonomous ride-hailing vehicles driving over the carefully groomed lawn of a golf course has gone viral.]() *FuddyCap via Reddi* A video of one of Waymo's autonomous ride-hailing vehicles driving over the carefully groomed lawn of a golf course has gone viral on social media. "Waymo spotted on golf course, late for tee time?" a user [wrote]() on subreddit dedicated to the company's self-driving efforts. "Wonder what happened with this one." While many interpreted the video as a particularly egregious instance of a driverless taxi getting confused, the company informed *Futurism* in an email that there was a perfectly reasonable explanation. Waymo says the car was being driven by a human driver — and not just being supervised as it navigated on its own — as part of a series of concerts called the Sunset Sessions, which take place at the Penmar Golf Course in Los Angeles, California. While the latest incident didn't involve a Waymo driving off course, we've already come across numerous instances of the firm's vehicles [getting confused in construction zones](), [smashing into delivery robots](), [clogging up streets](), [honking all night](), and [becoming involved in other shenanigans](). Earlier this year, a cyclist in San Francisco [alleged]() that a Waymo robotaxi had made an illegal stop in the bike lane ahead of her and "doored" her, forcing her to be thrown into a second Waymo, which had pulled into the same bike lane. Waymo launched its autonomous ride-hailing services in Los Angeles [in November 2024](). Things haven't always gone smoothly: in June, five of the company's vehicles [were set ablaze]() as part of anti-ICE demonstrations, forcing Waymo to temporarily [suspend its service in the city](). In response, the company hired a "[community and public affairs specialist]()" to "educate the public on the safety benefits of Waymo’s fully autonomous driving technology." However, as [*404 Media* reported]() in April, Waymo has worked with the Los Angeles Police Department, handing over footage for investigative purposes, showing that the protesters' and the company's motives are far from perfectly aligned. Regardless, the company has established itself as the clear frontrunner in the autonomous ride-hailing services industry. As the company [boasted]() in July, it has completed 100 million miles of fully autonomous driving, with a fleet of over 1,500 vehicles across five major urban areas in the US. **More on Waymo:** [*Family Baffled By Waymo Robotaxis Constantly Hanging Out in Front of Their House*]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()