Police in California, who were on the lookout for impaired drivers, ended up stopping a driverless Waymo taxi for making an illegal U-turn, as reported by officials.
This incident occurred during a DUI enforcement operation, funded by a grant, on Friday night while officers observed the autonomous vehicle commit the traffic violation at a light, according to a social media update from the San Bruno Police Department.
Upon pulling over the vehicle, officers discovered that it was operating without anyone in the driver’s seat.
“Indeed… No driver, no hands, no awareness,” the department quipped.
The police reached out to Waymo, the all-electric taxi service provider, to inform them of this “malfunction.”
“As there was no human operator, we couldn’t issue a citation (our citation forms don’t include an option for ‘robot’),” the department humorously noted in their update.
“Let’s hope this glitch gets fixed so it doesn’t make any further illegal maneuvers.”
Authorities added that there is legislation being discussed that would enable police to notify companies about their vehicles’ reckless driving.
“Whether it’s human drivers, passengers, or even autonomous vehicles, we’re committed to keeping the streets of San Bruno safe,” the department reassured.
Waymo operates its services in various cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin, and Atlanta, with plans to expand to Miami by the end of this year and Washington, DC in 2026.
In response to the incident, Waymo stated, “Our autonomous driving system, the Waymo Driver, is designed to adhere to road regulations. We are investigating this incident and are dedicated to enhancing road safety through ongoing improvements.”
The initial driverless Waymo taxis began testing in New York City in August, with human operators still present in the vehicles.
Former Mayor Bill de Blasio and other New Yorkers have raised concerns about this technology, describing it as a potential disaster waiting to happen.
