Waymo Takes Steps to Block Minors from Riding Solo in Self-Driving Taxis

Under current California law, autonomous vehicles are prohibited from transporting minors without an accompanying adult. Nevertheless, some parents continue to use personal Waymo accounts to arrange for their children to be picked up and dropped off alone for school or extracurricular activities, with some arguing that driverless vehicles are actually safer. In response, Waymo has begun cracking down on such practices. A company spokesperson stated that Waymo has policies in place to detect violations of its terms of service, and accounts found in violation may be suspended temporarily or permanently. Waymo uses in-vehicle cameras to determine whether passengers are adults. In certain circumstances, customer support staff may review recorded footage from inside the vehicle and can access live monitoring in emergencies. However, the company explicitly stated it does not employ facial recognition or other biometric technologies. Previously, California labor unions filed complaints with regulators, alleging that Waymo was enabling minors to ride alone in violation of the law. Currently, California is considering new regulations that could eventually permit passengers under 18 to ride unaccompanied in driverless vehicles.