Waymo robotaxi alerts police after two teens drink and fire gel-bead guns in San Mateo

Waymo Robotaxi "Snitches" On Two 15-Year-Olds Drinking & Shooting Orbeez Guns In Bay Area

Waymo Robotaxi "Snitches" On Two 15-Year-Olds Drinking & Shooting Orbeez Guns In Bay Area Two 15-year-old boys were detained in San Mateo Monday afternoon after the Waymo robotaxi they were riding in reported them to police - for drinking alcohol and firing a gel-bead blaster out of the moving car - then pulled itself over so officers could collect them. Waymo's remote monitors spotted the behavior on the vehicle's interior cameras and called the San Mateo Police Department around 2:10 p.m. with the car's exact location. The company then disabled the vehicle near 20th Avenue and El Camino Real, telling the pair the car was having trouble - a ruse that bought officers time to get into position. Because the initial report described what looked like a real firearm, police conducted a high-risk stop, approaching with guns drawn and a police dog deployed. No one was hurt. Inside, officers found an Orbeez-style gel blaster - painted over to pass for the real thing - and open alcohol. The teens cooperated, were detained, and were released to their parents. The case has been forwarded to the San Mateo County District Attorney's office for review of possible charges, including underage drinking, and police say they plan to pull the Waymo's interior video. "Parents do you know where your teens are? @waymo does!" The department wrote on Facebook: "After calling us and stopping the car, we were able to safely remove both subjects and determined they were shooting Orbeez from the car as they sipped on afternoon libations while being chauffeured around town in the driverless vehicle." "While there was some ingenuity to this scheme, toy guns, water guns, and BB guns all pose real dangers, especially to an untrained eye... Shooting projectiles at speed can cause real damage. And lest not forget the underage drinking. All bad ideas today for these two. Well, the Waymo might have been the smartest idea yet, because driving impaired would've made this so much worse." Waymo bars alcohol in its vehicles and doesn't allow unaccompanied minors in its California markets - so the ride was violating the rules before the first bead flew - and company policy notes that support staff "may access live video during a trip" in urgent circumstances. "Safety is our highest priority at Waymo," a company spokesperson said in a statement after the story broke. "This behavior violates our user agreement, and while these sorts of events are rare, we take them extremely seriously and remain committed to improving road safety and mobility in the cities where we operate." Online, the reaction split between "snitching" complaints, designated-driver jokes, and the question underneath them: the robotaxi that gets you home safely is also a camera platform that can pull itself over and hand you to the police. For two 15-year-olds, the lesson arrived early - no driver doesn't mean nobody's watching. Tyler Durden Wed, 07/08/2026 - 17:20

3 hours ago

A self-driving Waymo just reported its own passengers to police

If you think no one is paying attention inside your driverless taxi, think again. Two California teenagers were detained Monday after a Waymo detected suspicious behavior during their ride and alerted police in San Mateo. The teenagers were allegedly spotted drinking alcohol and shooting out Orbeez—small squishy beads that absorb water—from the windows with toy guns, leading Waymo to park in a nearby lot and lock the passengers inside until authorities showed up. A video posted to social media shows around five armed officers and a K9 unit circling the Waymo vehicle, as officials responding to the alert as a high-risk traffic stop, NBC first reported. “Parents, do you know where your teens are?” The San Mateo Police Department said on social media. “Waymo does!” Fast Company reached out to Waymo but did not immediately receive comment. Waymo spotted the suspicious behavior by using the interior cameras and microphones aboard all Waymo robotaxis, which are used as what the company calls “the ‘eyes and ears’ of our Waymo Driver,” the company’s support page says. The technology is said to be used to make sure vehicles remain clean, help passengers find lost items, and provide assistance during emergency situations. Waymo spotted behavior that appeared to be the teenagers shooting out of the car, though police later determined the weapon to be an Orbeez gun.  “While there was some ingenuity to this scheme, toy guns, water guns, and BB guns all pose real dangers, especially to the untrained eye,” the San Mateo Police Department posted on Facebook. “The simple handling of them can cause fear in passersby or to those who don’t get a good look.” Additionally, law enforcement noted that shooting, even Orbeez, can potentially cause damage when projecting at high speed.   But while many praised the company for taking quick action, others on social media think the reaction might not have warranted such a response. “Incredibly dangerous over aggressive enforcement. It’s dumb kids drinking,” And others called out the dangers of an autonomous vehicle taking the decision to lock passengers in the car without their consent. “Kids should have called the cops on Waymo for kidnapping and trafficking,” another user added on X. But for others, the bizarre event is just the beginning as robotaxi services continue to make their way into daily life. A user added on X, “the wild part is that this probably won’t be the last strange scenario companies have to solve as self-driving vehicles become more common.”

6 hours ago