Two 15-year-olds in California allegedly used a Waymo self-driving vehicle for a joyride involving alcohol consumption and shooting Orbeez water beads from the car, according to the San Mateo Police Department (SMPD).
The incident occurred Monday afternoon when the autonomous vehicle company contacted police to report that its passengers appeared to be drinking and firing projectiles. The robotaxi eventually pulled over, where officers found the teens had been consuming alcohol and shooting the water beads from the vehicle.
Police stated that while the teens exhibited some ingenuity, toy guns, water guns, and BB guns can pose real dangers. They noted that the handling of such items can cause fear, and shooting projectiles at speed can inflict real damage. The underage drinking was also cited as a significant concern.
In separate incidents involving Waymo vehicles, authorities in San Francisco are still searching for a suspect who allegedly used a driverless Jaguar as a getaway car after a yoga studio theft in January. Investigators were unable to identify the suspect from Waymo footage because interior video had been deleted and exterior footage blurred faces for privacy reasons.
Last month, a Waymo vehicle entered a freeway construction zone, prompting a police response. The incident was among several similar construction zone errors that led Waymo to recall over 3,800 vehicles and temporarily limit its freeway services.