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Waymo teams up with Waze to spot potholes faster

Published

3 weeks ago

April 29, 2026

You know that moment. You are driving along, and everything feels smooth. Then all of a sudden, your car hits a pothole you never saw coming.

It is frustrating. It can also be expensive and dangerous. Repairs add up fast, and unexpected road damage can lead to crashes.

Now, Waymo and Waze are trying to tackle that problem in a new way. Instead of waiting for people to report potholes after the fact, they want to detect them as they happen and help cities respond faster.

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Waymo’s robotaxis already spend hours on the road each day. While they drive, they constantly scan their surroundings using cameras, sensors and onboard software. That same technology is now being used to identify potholes.

When a Waymo vehicle detects a road issue, that information is shared through Waze’s “Waze for Cities” platform. Cities and transportation departments can access the data at no cost. At the same time, the information shows up in the Waze app so drivers can see alerts as they approach a problem area.

There is also a human layer built in. Waze users can confirm or flag potholes, which helps improve accuracy over time. That combination of machine detection and real-world feedback creates a more reliable picture of road conditions.

Most cities still rely on residents to report potholes through 311 systems or online forms. Crews then investigate and decide what to fix first. That process takes time and often leaves gaps. Some potholes go unreported. Others are reported too late. In many cases, cities end up reacting instead of getting ahead of the problem.

This new approach changes that. By using real-time data from vehicles already on the road, cities can see where issues are forming and respond more quickly. It also helps them spot patterns, which can improve how they plan repairs and allocate resources.

The partnership is still in its early phase, but it is already active in several major metro areas. The rollout includes the San Francisco Bay Area along with Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin and Atlanta. These are places where Waymo already operates, which makes it easier to collect consistent data.

Even at this early stage, the system has already identified around 500 potholes across those cities. That gives you a sense of how much road damage can go unnoticed without constant monitoring.

Over time, the companies plan to expand into more regions, including areas where weather conditions make potholes more common.

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Potholes may feel like a minor annoyance, but they have real consequences. They can damage tires, affect alignment and lead to costly repairs. In some cases, they contribute to accidents, especially when drivers swerve to avoid them or hit them at high speeds.

There is also a fairness issue. Areas that rely on resident reports may see uneven maintenance. Some neighborhoods get quicker fixes while others wait longer simply because fewer reports come in.

By combining automated detection with user input, this system aims to close those gaps and give cities a more complete view of road conditions.

You may not think much about the technology behind road maintenance, but it directly affects your daily drive. If this approach expands, it could lead to fewer surprise potholes and quicker repairs on roads you use every day. It may also mean better alerts in navigation apps, which gives you more time to react and avoid damage.

There is also a long-term benefit. Better data can help cities maintain roads more efficiently, which can reduce wear and tear on your car and lower the risk of unexpected repairs. At a broader level, it shows how data collected for one purpose can improve something completely different. In this case, the same systems that guide self-driving cars could make everyday driving safer for everyone.

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This might sound like a small idea at first. But it points to something much bigger. For years, cities have been playing catch-up when it comes to road maintenance. They rely on slow reports and limited data, which means problems often get fixed late or missed entirely. Now, that could start to change. With Waymo cars constantly scanning the roads, cities can tap into a steady stream of real-world data without having to build a whole new system from scratch. If this pilot works, it could change how cities stay on top of road repairs. And it is another example of how private tech is starting to shape public infrastructure in ways most people never see. That can be a good thing. But it also raises a bigger question about where that line should be drawn.

Have potholes ever cost you money or damage, and do you think tech like this could actually make a difference? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

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Interrogation video shows trans killer’s calm confession to ambushing parents over gender transition battle

Published

33 minutes ago

May 17, 2026

Addison Blake

Newly released interrogation video shows the moment a transgender killer confessed to fatally shooting both her parents for intervening with sex reassignment surgery.

Gail and Joseph Bailey were found shot to death inside their Washington City, Utah, home in June 2024; their child, Mia Bailey, confessed to shooting and killing them.

Nearly two years later, the convicted killer’s own words were revealed in interrogation video showing the shooter’s confession to investigators.

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“I don’t regret it. I hate them,” Bailey said when speaking with police in the interrogation room.

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Bailey’s demeanor appears calm and celebratory at times when discussing how the killer shot multiple rounds at the couple.

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Court documents say Bailey’s brother was also shot at through a door; he was able to escape and call for help that evening.

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Bailey is also heard on video blaming mental health struggles for the vicious attack. Bailey told investigators that Gail tried to “sabotage” the gender transition surgery.

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Bailey was born male but had undergone a name change and had been identifying as female before the attack.

This past December, Bailey was sentenced to two consecutive sentences of 25 years to life in prison after pleading guilty and mentally ill to aggravated murder and aggravated assault, according to KUTV.

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Maitland Ward says she was ‘set up’ and ‘betrayed’ by ‘Boy Meets World’ co-stars in toxic fallout

Published

33 minutes ago

May 17, 2026

Addison Blake

It’s been over a year since Maitland Ward found herself in a heated exchange with “Boy Meets World” co-stars Danielle Fishel, Ryder Strong and Will Friedle. While the adult film star — who first found fame as Jessica Forrester in “The Bold and the Beautiful,” and later Rachel McQuire in the beloved ‘90s Disney TV show — has since moved on, she still feels “betrayed” by her former colleagues.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Ward, who recently exposed the dark truths behind child stardom in an episode of Investigation Discovery’s “Hollywood Demons,” opened up about that fiery interaction on the “Pod Meets World” podcast in February 2025 and gave an update on where she stands with her former co-stars today.

“We have not spoken at all. There’s been no contact, except when I offered my support [for Fishel during her ‘Dancing with the Stars’ run] and everything. But there’s been no ill will either,” said Ward. “There’s been no fighting or anything. It’s just, we have not spoken, those three. [We’re] in a place where we are not connected right now, and it’s sad.”

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“I still feel betrayed by the situation because I do think I was set up for reasons that only they can explain,” she continued. “But, and I was taken very much off guard in that situation. And it makes me sad. I just wish that there was a way that we could all come together and not be in this bad place. But it’s just, we’re in no place right now. I guess that’s what it is.”

WATCH: MAITLAND WARD STILL FEELS ‘BETRAYED’ BY ‘BOY MEETS WORLD’ CO-STARS IN TOXIC FALLOUT

During an episode of the “Pod Meets World” podcast last year, hosts and former co-stars Fishel, Strong and Friedle welcomed Ward to discuss their shared experiences on the show. However, when Fishel asked Ward if she hated them, things took a turn for the worse.

“No, I do not hate you,” said Ward. “I think that you hate me because you wouldn’t speak to me on ‘Girl Meets World’ (the Disney Channel spin-off of ‘Boy Meets World’), and that was hurtful.”

“You had an attitude about it. There was some beef between us, and I didn’t get it,” she later added. “I didn’t know if you thought I was trying to steal attention… I was genuinely confused why we wouldn’t be good.”

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Fishel admitted that “Girl Meets World” — which she starred in alongside Ben Savage (who played her longtime love, Cory Matthews, in “Boy Meets World”), Sabrina Carpenter and Rowan Blanchard — was a “very difficult set” to be on.

“Let’s put it this way, the memories we have of the fun set of ‘Boy Meets World’ were not the memories of the fun set of ‘Girl Meets World,'” she said. “I went into it expecting it to be, and it wasn’t. It was a rather tumultuous place. I felt very ostracized. I felt very criticized. I felt a lot of different things being on that set… I am sorry that you thought I had something personally against you.”

After some more heated back and forth, Ward said, “Let’s be honest about this. You’re trying to go at me now to get the ratings because you know that people will be interested. I just wanted to remember the good times.”

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“I’m not the one who wanted to go for ratings… This is what you asked for,” Fishel responded.

After saying their goodbyes, Fishel said Ward’s decision to come on the podcast seemed like “an opportunity for her to get press by having conflict.”

“Similarly to the way she decided when ‘Girl Meets World’ and all that stuff was in the press, that was an opportunity for her to make a name for herself in cosplay play and in role-playing, she felt like this was an opportunity for her to get press by having conflict, which I am just not your girl to do that,” Fishel said of the heated exchange. “And she thought it was disingenuous for me to reach out to her. I think wanting to do it for stats is disingenuous.”

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Shortly after that appearance, Ward told Fox News Digital that she felt “bullied” by her former friends, and claimed it was a “very toxic” situation.

“I felt [bullied] because it was three against one, really four because [Fishel’s] husband is the producer,” she said. “So it was like I was surrounded by — I really felt surrounded, and it’s weird because they were my friends in the past, and just imagine stepping back into a high school situation or college or whatever, and you see old friends, and then all of a sudden every single grievance you ever had with them is fresh on their minds, and they want to just come at you. So it felt like a very toxic situation.”

“I did not create the conflict on that show,” she continued. “I was not trying to create conflict. And I think it’s funny that she says I tried to create the conflict from it, to get press when she tried to create the conflict for this show to get press and views and listens and everything for the podcast.”

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“I wasn’t going to benefit financially from that show,” she added. “So I think she’s very two-faced in that situation. I think she doesn’t enjoy that I have had success from ‘Boy Meets World’ like that. And I think she should be reminded that I get attention for other things that I do too.”

WATCH: ‘BOY MEETS WORLD’ STAR MAITLAND WARD SAYS DANIELLE FISHEL CREATED ‘TOXIC’ ENVIRONMENT DURING HEATED PODCAST EXCHANGE

Though Ward hasn’t had any interaction with the trio, she did offer Fishel an olive branch of sorts when she publicly supported her during her “DWTS” stint last year.

“It really was a genuine moment,” Ward told Fox News Digital of her words of encouragement to Fishel shortly after she was eliminated. “And when [TMZ] asked me, I’m like, ‘Yes, of course I support her. I love people stepping outside of their comfort zone, and especially women doing something that they’re excited about and love. I have nothing but love for her and for the experience that we had together on the show.”

Ward said the feud between her costars resulted in a “very strange year.”

“We had a lot of conflict last year, of course, but that doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t support her and support her in anything that she does,” she said. “And that was actually genuine from my heart … I don’t wish her ill or anything. It’s sad that we are in a place where we’re not friends or not able to come together on that level, but I’m still going to support her.”

“No matter what, we are always going to be connected in this way that can never split us apart,” she added. “And it’s kind of, it’s like a family where, you know, maybe you don’t get along all the time with your cousin or something or, you know, but you’re always connected as this family. And I think that’s really important. And it’s important for the audience to know that, yeah, we’ll always be together on some level. But I definitely want to support women in anything they do. And I wish her nothing but love.”

Latest

Cruise ship crackdown hits tourist hot spot as city fast-tracks new visitor tax

Published

33 minutes ago

May 17, 2026

Addison Blake

One of Europe’s most crowded tourist cities is cracking down on cruises and their passengers, with the mayor of the city pushing to fast-track a tax hike on short-stay passengers.

Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni on Wednesday said he wants cruise passengers to pay up to $9.30 (8 euros) per night, a 100% increase from the current $4.65 rate (4 euros).

The news was reported by El País, Spain’s paper of record, after Collboni appeared on Betevé, the local network.

The tax would apply to cruise passengers docking in Barcelona.

Barcelona’s City Council agreed last July to gradually increase the tax to $9.30 (8 euros), El País reported — and while the council agreed to raise it over the next four years, Collboni is advocating for an immediate daily increase.

“In the coming months, we will raise the tourist tax … so that it comes into force in the next few months and not in four years as we had agreed,” the mayor said, according to El País.

“I want to discourage the arrival of cruise passengers,” he also said.

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Collboni said he hopes to reduce the number of cruise passengers who stop over in the city — as opposed to starting or finishing journeys in the city — to zero.

“Tourism must serve the city, not the other way around,” he said.

“We want quality tourism, which is why we are renewing the Fira de Barcelona. We are interested in business visitors,” Collboni added.

“What we do not want is mass tourism — and that is why we will eliminate tourist apartments in 2028.”

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Collboni also said he plans to run for re-election, which will be held in May 2027, El País reported.

“My intention is to govern with a left-wing majority,” said Collboni.

“I want to turn Barcelona into the grave of the far right.”

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Fox News Digital reached out to Collboni’s office for comment.

The move is one of several steps Barcelona has taken in its struggle with overtourism.

In 2024, Barcelona’s city council agreed to reduce cruise terminals from seven to five in the interest of limiting cruise arrivals.

In March, Barcelona nearly doubled its visitor tax to among the highest in Europe to combat mass tourism.