Waymo Robotaxi Drives Law-Breaking Riders Straight To Police

Despite going through some pretty extensive recalls recently – close to 4,000 to be more precise – Waymo's time in the headlines hasn't been all bad news. That's because, despite a few close calls along the way, Waymo has actually done something right. According to a post shared by the San Mateo Police Department on Facebook, a Waymo robotaxi helped with the reporting and detainment of two inebriated teenagers who were found to be shooting water guns full of Orbeez from the car's windows.

Exact details on how the detainment went down were not shared; however, the San Mateo Police Department shared a video showing up to five police officers approaching the Waymo, which had pulled over in a parking lot to await police. (via Los Angeles Times). The vehicles are known to have both cameras and microphones in the cab to help promote safety and passenger security. It doesn't appear the teens were thinking about those possibilities when they decided to go out for a joyride in the robotaxi. 

Comments on the Facebook post have ranged from someone jokingly calling Waymo a snitch to others commenting on the humor of the situation and how they could see their own kids doing something similar if Waymo had existed back when they were younger. Some even praised the San Mateo Police Department for how it handled the situation.

While it might be easy to think of robotaxis like Waymos as a way to avoid dealing with people, they are still considered heavily surveilled vehicles. Sure, they might not have a driver sitting there to ask you a thousand questions as you ride from point A to B, but they still have cameras and microphones. And while Waymo claims these cameras and microphones are only used to promote safety, locate lost items and ensure vehicle cleanliness, there is always someone watching – whether that someone is an actual person or the computers that Waymo has set up to monitor footage of its fleet.

Having this kind of surveillance can be great, especially for gathering evidence of situations like this, as well as for when things don't go the way they're supposed to – like when a Waymo blocked a bike lane one day. However, it is hard to deny just how useful vehicles like Waymo's robotaxis can be, especially in helping to reduce issues like drunk driving. And as more companies push them onto the streets and US lawmakers look for ways to make manufacturing self-driving vehicles easier, it's very likely we'll see more and more automated vehicles on our streets.