OLYMPIA, Wash. — Callers selecting Spanish-language service on a Washington State Department of Licensing phone line were recently greeted by an automated voice speaking English, delivered fluently and with a pronounced Spanish accent.
State officials confirmed the issue after it was reported this week. The automated system was intended to provide assistance in Spanish for residents navigating driver’s license services. Instead, callers received English responses rendered in accented pronunciation.
The agency has not said how long the configuration was in place before being identified. A correction is now being implemented.
Officials described the problem as a technical error within the automated voice system. No estimate was provided regarding how many callers encountered the service or whether any successfully completed transactions during the period.
The phone option continues to be labeled “Spanish.”