Waymo and Tesla Reveal Details on Remote Operators Assisting Self-Driving Vehicles

Government filings show human workers play a key role in guiding autonomous cars through complex situations.

Feb. 20, 2026 at 10:05pm

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Recent government documents submitted by Alphabet's Waymo and Tesla have revealed new details about the human operators who provide remote assistance to their self-driving vehicles. The companies acknowledge that even advanced autonomous cars sometimes encounter situations their software cannot handle, requiring human intervention to safely navigate. Waymo says it has around 70 remote assistance agents monitoring 3,000 robotaxis, with half based overseas in the Philippines. Tesla also operates remote operator offices in Austin and the Bay Area to help guide its self-driving cars. Experts say these human 'babysitters' play a critical safety role, as their actions can mean the difference between a car stopping or running a red light.

Why it matters

The details of these remote assistance programs are important because the humans supporting the autonomous vehicles are crucial in ensuring the cars are driving safely on public roads. Even self-driving cars that operate smoothly most of the time can encounter situations that confuse their software, requiring human intervention to get the vehicle out of a jam. If these remote operators make mistakes, it could lead to serious safety issues on the road.

The details

Waymo says its remote assistance agents provide advice and support to the Waymo Driver self-driving system but do not directly control the vehicle. Tesla also runs remote operator offices, though the company has not revealed how often these workers intervene or exactly how they assist its self-driving technology. Experts say building software that knows when to ask for human help is one of the biggest safety challenges facing the autonomous vehicle industry.

  • In December 2025, a power outage in San Francisco caused stop lights to go dark, stranding confused Waymo vehicles in several intersections.
  • In late 2025, the government launched probes into several instances of Waymo vehicles illegally blowing past stopped school buses unloading students in Austin, Texas, leading Waymo to issue a software recall.

The players

Waymo

An autonomous driving company and a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company.

Tesla

An electric automaker that has operated a small robotaxi service in Austin, Texas since June 2025.

Philip Koopman

An autonomous vehicle software and safety researcher at Carnegie Mellon University.

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What they’re saying

“For the foreseeable future, there will be people who play a role in the vehicles' behavior, and therefore have a safety role to play.”

— Philip Koopman, Autonomous vehicle software and safety researcher (WIRED)

“Waymo's RA agents provide advice and support to the Waymo Driver but do not directly control, steer, or drive the vehicle.”

— Ryan McNamara, Vice President and Global Head of Operations, Waymo (WIRED)

What’s next

The judge in the Waymo vandalism case will decide on Tuesday whether to allow the suspect, Walker Reed Quinn, to be released on bail.

The takeaway

The human 'babysitters' who remotely assist self-driving vehicles play a critical role in ensuring public safety, as their actions can mean the difference between a car stopping or running a red light. As autonomous driving technology continues to advance, close attention must be paid to the humans behind the scenes who help guide these vehicles through complex situations.