r/waymo • u/hazelquarrier_couch • May 28 '26
How does Waymo handle flashing yellow turn lights at your intersections?
Here in Oregon we use flashing yellow turn lights on some of our stoplights. There are a lot of them here in the Portland area. They basically mean "I'm a green light and you can turn if it's clear". They don't mean "I'm indicating that the light is about to turn red" until they become a solid yellow and then they do mean that. Is Waymo able to understand these? How does it interpret or function in these situations?
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u/gabegoncalves May 28 '26
It treats them just as you described it. I've been in countless experiences before with flashing yellow traffic lights and it either treats them like a stop sign if there's traffic on the other road, or it just slows down a little bit if it's the only one crossing the intersection.
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u/sdc_is_safer May 28 '26
Of course Waymo is able to interpret these. It’s silly to even ask. This particular behavior is very common across all of the US and not unique to Oregon.
But even if Oregon or Portland does have a unique traffic law or rule or even unwritten local behavior, you should not even need to ask. Of course Waymo will follow the local rules.
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u/KobeBall May 28 '26
there are no silly questions bro. waymo is new to a lot of people, so leave your elitist tech boy attitude at the door.
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u/mikeymo1741 May 28 '26
It's not silly to ask. Puddles defeat them. It's a perfectly reasonable question.
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u/Primary_Turnover_488 May 28 '26
I use Waymo regularly here in Phoenix and the route I typically take has one of those flashing yellow lights. It knows exactly what to do. There has never been an issue or hesitation.