Teens Nabbed for Misusing Waymo Robotaxi

Two 15-year-olds were detained in San Mateo, California, on July 6 after Waymo alerted police that riders in one of its driverless taxis were drinking alcohol and firing projectiles from the vehicle, according to police and local news reports. San Mateo police said officers stopped and searched the robotaxi after a Waymo representative contacted the department Monday afternoon. Investigators later determined the teens had been shooting Orbeez water beads from the car while being driven around the city. The episode has drawn attention because the vehicle had no human driver inside when the company intervened. ### How did police end up stopping a Waymo with no driver inside? San Mateo police said Waymo contacted officers after company personnel monitoring the trip saw what they described as a black firearm in the vehicle and believed passengers were firing it. Jeanine Luna, a spokesperson for the San Mateo Police Department, said officers conducted what she described as a high-risk traffic stop after the company disabled the car in a location where police could set up safely. (ksbw.com) Local reports said the vehicle was brought to a parking lot near El Camino Real and Highway 92. Monday afternoon’s stop ended with officers removing the teens from the vehicle and searching the car. San Mateo police said the object was an Orbeez-style toy gun, not a real firearm, and that the riders had also been drinking alcohol inside the vehicle. Police did not report injuries. ### What exactly are investigators accusing the teens of doing? (newsnationnow.com) San Mateo police said the teens, both age 15, were riding around town in the Waymo while consuming alcohol and firing water beads toward the street. NBC Bay Area and CBS News Bay Area reported that investigators said the projectiles were Orbeez beads fired from a toy gun. Police said the conduct prompted the company’s call because the object inside the car initially appeared to be a firearm. (ksbw.com) The San Mateo Police Department said the case involved underage drinking and the use of toy or pellet-style guns in public. In comments carried by local outlets, police said such items can be dangerous because they can be mistaken for real weapons and because projectiles fired from a moving vehicle can cause harm. ### How was Waymo able to spot the behavior during the ride? (nbcbayarea.com) Waymo’s help and privacy materials say the company uses in-car cameras for safety and security and that support staff may review video after an issue is reported. The company also says support personnel may access live video during a trip in urgent situations. Those policies help explain how company staff were able to identify the object and contact police while the ride was underway. (ksbw.com) Waymo’s terms say riders under 18 may use the service only under the supervision of a parent or legal guardian who agrees to be responsible for their conduct. The company also says its service operates around the clock in the San Francisco Bay Area, where the San Mateo incident occurred. ### What happens to the teens now? San Mateo police said the two teens were detained and released to their parents. (support.google.com) The department said the incident will be referred to the San Mateo County Juvenile Probation Department for review of possible charges or other action. (waymo.com) San Mateo County juvenile authorities will decide the next step after receiving the police referral, according to the department’s account of the case. Waymo has not announced any separate public action tied to the ride, but the company’s support and rider rules remain in effect for Bay Area users. (usnews.com)