A Waymo reported two teenagers who were joyriding to the police.

      Two 15-year-old teens in San Mateo discovered this week that a driverless taxi can still report you. The duo was drinking alcohol and shooting Orbeez, soft water-filled pellets, from a moving Waymo on Monday afternoon. The car's remote monitors detected the situation, contacted 911, and pulled over to wait for the police, according to the Associated Press.

      Law enforcement took the matter seriously. Video from the scene shows several officers with their weapons drawn, accompanied by a police dog. They removed both teenagers from the vehicle and conducted a search. Although the pair were detained, they were not arrested, as the cabin cameras had detected what appeared to be a real firearm.

      The robotaxi that reported the incident

      San Mateo police stopped the vehicle after being contacted by a Waymo representative, said department spokesperson Jeanine Luna. Waymo provided the car's location and directed it into a parking lot. The teens were able to leave anytime. "The occupants were not confined and were free to exit the vehicle," Luna stated.

      According to NBC Bay Area, the Waymo monitor informed the teens that the car had mechanical issues. This seemed to be a tactic to keep them in place until officers arrived. The police found a silver lining in the situation. "The Waymo might have been the smartest solution yet, because driving impaired would have made this much worse," the department wrote on Facebook.

      A vehicle that is always observing

      The incident is amusing but also serves as a small lesson about the trade-offs of a driverless ride. Waymo’s cabin cameras monitor for unbuckled seatbelts, smoking, lost items, and cleanliness. The company claims that staff may review footage after an incident and, in urgent cases, monitor a live trip. It states that it does not utilize facial recognition to identify passengers.

      However, not everyone was reassured by the outcome. The police department's own post received over 150 comments, with some expressing discomfort about a private company alerting authorities about its passengers. A rider in a driverless car lacks a human witness in the seat. Instead, they have a company that is vigilant and ready to take action.

      Why your ride in California might be free

      The timing is unfortunate for Waymo. In California, it is currently unable to charge for rides in its latest vehicle, the Ojai. A state regulatory body has not yet finished reviewing the company’s application, as reported by Wired, so these rides may remain free until at least late September.

      This situation closely relates to this week’s news. The California Public Utilities Commission requested more information from Waymo regarding how it handles emergencies and how the company prevents unaccompanied minors from using its cars. A ride-hail drivers’ association had already filed a complaint concerning Waymo transporting minors without an adult. The San Mateo joyride vividly illustrates this concern.

      The Ojai is Waymo’s first vehicle designed specifically as a taxi rather than a modified consumer model. Produced by China’s Zeekr, it is equipped with 13 cameras, six radars, and four lidar sensors. Waymo continues to charge for rides in its Jaguar I-Pace cars, which make up the majority of its fleet.

      Four additional cities, including London, are next

      The regulatory situation is localized. In other areas, Waymo is rapidly advancing. The company announced on Wednesday that it will go fully driverless in San Diego, Las Vegas, Tampa, and Denver. These rides will initially begin with Alphabet employees before opening to the public shortly thereafter.

      These four cities join Dallas, Houston, Orlando, and San Antonio, bringing Waymo to over ten cities. The company has also commenced its first tests internationally, in London. Waymo significantly leads the US robotaxi market with a fleet that far exceeds Tesla's, despite a challenging year that included a recall of nearly 4,000 vehicles and a quiet separation from Uber in Phoenix.

      Why it matters

      The San Mateo incident is a lighthearted story with serious implications. A driverless vehicle eliminates the adult in the front seat, replacing them with a set of ever-watchful cameras and a company that will contact the police. California regulators are currently considering this same trade-off, one that riders will increasingly encounter in more cities each month.