"I believe the technology was deployed too quickly in too vast amounts, with hundreds of vehicles, when it wasn't really ready," one police official told federal regulators last month. Emergency first-responder leaders told federal regulators in a private meeting last month that they were frustrated with the performance of autonomous vehicles on their streets--that city firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and paramedics are forced to spend time during emergencies resolving issues with frozen or stuck cars. One fire official called them "a safety issue for our crews as well as the victims." WIRED obtained an audio recording of the meeting. Officials from San Francisco and Austin, where Waymo has been ferrying passengers without drivers for more than a year, said the vehicles' performance is getting worse.

'Save Austin Now' co-founder Matt Mackowiak and Austin resident Patricia Potyka joined'Fox & Friends First' to discuss the city's crime surge and police department shortages. The defunded Austin, Texas, police department launched a new non-emergency online reporting system on Thursday that is operated with artificial intelligence, or AI. In an announcement on Thursday, the Austin Police Department (APD) said it partnered with Versaterm Public Safety's Case Service to launch the new reporting software that communicates with the community through voice, mobile, web and text messaging, instantaneously. AUSTIN, TX - JULY 29: A member of the Austin, Texas police department stands watch during the Gold Cup semifinal match between the United States and Qatar on Thursday July 29th, 2021 at Q2 stadium in Austin,TX. As it communicates with the public, the AI asks questions and fills out a report that provides "key information" to the department within hours, like an officer wrote it up.

Staffing shortages within the Austin Police Department continues to cause long wait times for customers calling for emergency help prompting the department to turn to artificial intelligence for help at call centers. "I called 311 the other day and hung up, because I could no longer wait on hold," KXAN reporter Britt Moreno tweeted Tuesday. "Apparently even 911 is short staffed. There are 15 police dispatcher vacancies and 31, 911 operator vacancies!" Staffing shortages since the Austin City Council stripped the police of 30% of its funding in 2020 forced police to no longer respond to non-emergency calls and has caused significant wait times for those calling both 911 and the non-emergency 311 line.