Teens Detained After Gel Bead Shooting Incident in Waymo Robotaxi

Two teenagers in California have learned a hard lesson about proper conduct in autonomous vehicles after an incident involving a Waymo robotaxi. The passengers were allegedly drinking alcohol and firing gel beads from the vehicle while it was in operation.

Waymo's self-driving system detected the disruptive behavior and responded by stopping the vehicle and contacting the San Mateo Police Department. Officers arrived at the scene and detained the individuals.

According to a police social media post, the teens were "shooting Orbeez from the car as they sipped on afternoon libations while being chauffeured around town in the driverless vehicle." The police were able to "safely remove both subjects."

This is not the first reported instance of Waymo vehicles alerting authorities to passenger misconduct. Last year, two men in Los Angeles were reported to the police for consuming alcohol inside a Waymo, which violates company policy. These incidents highlight the role of technology in monitoring and enforcing rules within autonomous transportation services.