Unrealistically small? The example given was a child retrieving a ball. Even if they aren't completely under the vehicle as in the cat's case, the risk remains real nonetheless. It could've been a typical 7-year-old's head or arms under that rear tire instead.
Sorry Ms. Lovejoy, but I fail to see the harm in singling out Waymo here. It's an automated vehicle that purports to be intelligent, so when it kills a pet in a fashion that's plainly preventable, and elements of that scenario can translate to human children, it seems worthy of discussion.
Yes, unrealistically small. This isn't an SUV. It's a car with maybe 6 inches of clearance off the ground.
Never mind the sensors would have little issue detecting a 7 year old as they approached as they are considerably larger than a cat, but it would be extremely hard for a toddler, let alone a 7 year old, to fit themselves under a car so low to the ground.
Sorry Ms. Lovejoy, but I fail to see the harm in singling out Waymo here. It's an automated vehicle that purports to be intelligent, so when it kills a pet in a fashion that's plainly preventable, and elements of that scenario can translate to human children, it seems worthy of discussion.