Waymo Robotaxi Detects Gun, Pulls Over and Alerts Police

In San Francisco, a Waymo robotaxi pulled over and alerted police after detecting a firearm in the vehicle. There were 2 underage passengers in the cabin. Police who arrived at the scene detained both teenagers. The incident showed that robotaxis can stop a trip when they detect a threat.

A loaded AR-style ghost gun was found in the passengers' possession. A ghost gun generally refers to a firearm that has no serial number and is assembled from separate parts. After being detained, the teenagers were taken to a juvenile detention center. Although the police report did not identify the company that owned the vehicle, Waymo confirmed that the vehicle belonged to it.

According to a Waymo representative, the system detected a violation of service rules involving a firearm in the vehicle. The robotaxi then stopped and alerted law enforcement. The company did not disclose which technology was used to detect the weapon. The police document also provided no additional information about how the driverless vehicle was operated.

This was not the first time a Waymo robotaxi had stopped a trip because of teenage passengers. Previously, 2 underage passengers drank alcohol in the vehicle and fired a toy gun from the rear section. The system created the appearance of a mechanical malfunction and pulled the robotaxi over.