Minors Arrested in Self-Driving Waymo Incident

In San Francisco, two minors were taken into custody while riding in a Waymo self-driving vehicle after the company discovered a firearm inside. Waymo acted quickly, pulling the car over and informing the police, who found a loaded, AR-style “ghost gun.”

According to Waymo, the decision to halt the vehicle was due to a breach of their terms of service regarding firearms. They notified emergency services and collaborated with local law enforcement as indicated by various reports.

Before 4 a.m. on September 3, officers from Richmond Station responded to a call about the passengers possessing a firearm in the autonomous vehicle.

Upon arrival, police detained both individuals—a boy and a girl, whose identities remain confidential due to their minor status.

Police indicated that a search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a loaded AR-style rifle referred to as a ghost gun, which is untraceable due to lack of serial numbers.

In addition to the firearm, officers searched the minors and found suspected marijuana and mace spray, as noted by law enforcement.

Both were arrested on charges linked to illegal firearm possession and subsequently transported to San Francisco’s Juvenile Justice Center.

This incident isn’t the first for Waymo concerning underage passengers. A similar situation occurred in July when police were alerted about two 15-year-olds in a Waymo vehicle who appeared to be drinking and discharging an object from the car. It turned out they were shooting Orbeez water beads while consuming alcohol.

The police department’s response to that episode turned somewhat tongue-in-cheek, asking, “Parents do you know where your teens are? @waymo does!”

Currently, the September 3 incident is still under investigation by San Francisco police. Waymo has opted not to comment on the matter at this time.