Waymo Self-Driving Taxi Detects Passenger with Firearm; San Francisco Police Arrest Two Minors

Before 4 a.m. local time on Thursday, September 3, a Waymo autonomous taxi detected two passengers in the vehicle carrying a loaded AR-style assault rifle in the 800 block of 40th Avenue in San Francisco’s Outer Richmond neighborhood. After Waymo provided tips to the San Francisco Police Department, officers conducted a vehicle stop last week and arrested two minors—one male and one female. Upon stopping the vehicle, police recovered a loaded “ghost gun”—a firearm assembled from an unfinished kit without a serial number—and also found suspected marijuana and pepper spray. The two face charges related to illegal firearm possession. Waymo’s fully driverless taxis operate without human drivers and are equipped with sensors, cameras, and other hardware connected to the company’s autonomous driving system, known as Waymo Driver. These sensors continuously monitor passengers for behaviors such as smoking or failure to wear seatbelts. Under the monitoring protocol, when onboard sensors flag unusual activity, human reviewers later examine the recorded footage. Previously, two 15-year-olds were accused of drinking alcohol and firing gel blaster toys inside a Waymo vehicle, prompting notification and intervention by San Mateo police. Waymo’s autonomous ride-hailing service is already operational in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and other cities. In early September, the service expanded to San Diego, Denver, and Tampa, Florida.