I mean, it's now technically true (since some point in 2024) in NYC, but historically it was merely practice to not uniformly enforce this rule and that's basically a more extreme version of the reality across the US.
However unlike a cop deciding whether to fine people for "jay walking" the Waymo doesn't care whether you're the mayor's grandmother or a wise-talking black teenager if you're in its path, those are both humans and it's not allowed to hit humans.
There aren't going to be many humans in the street in outer Phoenix because where would they even be going? But the Mission, just like Leicester Square, has plenty of pedestrians who might just run into the street in front of you given any reason or opportunity and you need to be ready for that.
So I agree this isn't novel for Waymo, but while technically jay walking is now legal in NYC that's not why Waymo (which also has pencilled in an NYC launch) needs to care about it already.
However unlike a cop deciding whether to fine people for "jay walking" the Waymo doesn't care whether you're the mayor's grandmother or a wise-talking black teenager if you're in its path, those are both humans and it's not allowed to hit humans.
There aren't going to be many humans in the street in outer Phoenix because where would they even be going? But the Mission, just like Leicester Square, has plenty of pedestrians who might just run into the street in front of you given any reason or opportunity and you need to be ready for that.
So I agree this isn't novel for Waymo, but while technically jay walking is now legal in NYC that's not why Waymo (which also has pencilled in an NYC launch) needs to care about it already.