A Waymo reported two teenagers engaging in joyriding to the police.

      Two 15-year-olds in San Mateo discovered this week that a driverless taxi can still report your actions. The duo was consuming alcohol and shooting Orbeez, soft water-filled pellets, from a moving Waymo on Monday afternoon. According to the Associated Press, the car's remote monitors detected their behavior, called 911, and pulled over to wait for police.

      The officers took the situation seriously, as footage from the scene shows multiple officers with weapons drawn on the vehicle, accompanied by a police dog. They removed both teens from the car and conducted a search. Although the police detained them, they did not arrest the teens, as the cabin cameras had indicated the presence of what appeared to be a real firearm.

      The robotaxi that reported

      San Mateo police stopped the car after a Waymo representative alerted them, stated department spokesperson Jeanine Luna. Waymo provided the car's location and directed it into a parking lot. Luna confirmed that the teens were not confined and could exit the vehicle at any time. “The occupants were not locked in and had every ability to exit the vehicle,” she noted.

      According to NBC Bay Area, the Waymo monitor informed the teens that the car was experiencing mechanical issues, which seemed to be a tactic to keep them in place until the officers arrived. The police saw a positive aspect in the situation: “The Waymo might have been the smartest idea yet, because driving impaired would’ve made this so much worse,” the department posted on Facebook.

      A continuously observing vehicle

      The incident is amusing but also serves as a small lesson regarding the trade-off of utilizing a driverless ride. Waymo's cabin cameras monitor for unbuckled seatbelts, smoking, lost items, and cleanliness. The company states that staff might review footage after an incident and can watch a live trip in urgent scenarios. They also clarify that they do not employ facial recognition to identify passengers.

      Not everyone found the outcome reassuring. The police department's own post elicited over 150 comments, with some expressing discomfort about a private corporation turning over its passengers to law enforcement. A passenger in a driverless car lacks a human witness in the front seat. Instead, they are monitored by a company that is observant and ready to act.

      Why your California ride might be complimentary

      The timing is somewhat challenging for Waymo. In California, it has not yet received permission to charge for rides in its latest vehicle, the Ojai. A state regulator is still reviewing the company's application, according to Wired, which means those rides might remain free until at least late September.

      This situation is closely related to this week's developments. The California Public Utilities Commission requested more information from Waymo about its emergency protocols and how it prevents unaccompanied minors from accessing its cars. A ride-hail drivers' union has already lodged a complaint about Waymo transporting minors without adult supervision. The San Mateo joyride vividly illustrates this concern.

      The Ojai is Waymo’s first vehicle specifically designed to serve as a taxi, rather than simply being a modified consumer vehicle. Manufactured by China’s Zeekr, it features 13 cameras, six radars, and four lidar sensors. Waymo continues to charge for rides in its Jaguar I-Pace vehicles, which are the majority of its fleet.

      Expanding to four more cities, with London next

      The delay is a local issue. In other locations, Waymo is advancing quickly. On Wednesday, the company announced it will operate fully driverless in San Diego, Las Vegas, Tampa, and Denver. These rides will initially be available to Alphabet employees before becoming open to the public shortly thereafter.

      These cities join Dallas, Houston, Orlando, and San Antonio, bringing Waymo’s total to over ten cities. The company has also launched its first tests abroad, in London. Waymo maintains a dominant lead in the US robotaxi market, with a fleet substantially larger than Tesla’s, despite experiencing a challenging year, which included a recall of nearly 4,000 vehicles and a quiet departure from Uber in Phoenix.

      Why it matters

      The San Mateo incident is a lighthearted story with significant implications. A driverless car eliminates the adult presence in the front seat while adding an array of surveillance cameras and a company prepared to contact the police. California regulators are currently considering this same trade-off, which riders will encounter in more cities each month.