Police in Northern California detained two 15-year-olds on suspicion of drinking and firing water beads from a self-driving Waymo vehicle. The company alerted law enforcement and remotely guided the vehicle to a parking lot, where officers took the teens into custody on Monday afternoon.
According to San Mateo police, the two occupants were seen hanging out of the vehicle's windows. Officers determined they had been drinking inside the car and shooting water-absorbent polymer beads, known as Orbeez, out into the street. Police confirmed that the teens were not confined and had the ability to exit the vehicle at any time.
Officers communicated with a Waymo representative via the vehicle's system during the stop. The San Mateo Police Department later posted about the incident on social media, warning about the dangers of underage drinking and water bead guns. The post generated significant online discussion regarding Waymo's role in alerting police and the ethics of its intervention.
Waymo has stated that its interior cameras are used for purposes such as ensuring vehicle cleanliness, locating lost items, and assisting in emergencies. The company clarified that facial recognition technology is not employed for individual identification. Waymo's support team may review video footage under specific circumstances, particularly when an issue is brought to their attention, and in more urgent situations, live video can be accessed during a trip.
This incident follows a separate event in San Francisco last month where an autonomous Waymo vehicle was stolen by a burglar after they broke into a yoga studio.