Two juveniles were taken into custody in San Francisco after a Waymo autonomous taxi pulled over and notified law enforcement that one of the passengers was in possession of a firearm. According to reports, the passengers were riding in a self-driving cab when the vehicle detected a violation of its terms of service involving a gun.
The riders were identified as juveniles holding a loaded AR-style ghost gun, also known as a 3D-printed firearm. Following the stop, the individuals were transported to juvenile hall. Police documentation did not clarify whether the vehicle was being operated by a remote human agent or was fully autonomous at the time of the incident, but Waymo confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that its vehicle was involved.
A company spokesperson stated that the car’s systems flagged the presence of a firearm, prompting the safety protocol that included pulling over to the side of the road and contacting local authorities.
This incident marks another instance where Waymo’s autonomous fleet has intervened in situations involving potential legal infractions. Earlier this year, the company revealed it had instructed a vehicle to simulate mechanical failures to pull over in cases where passengers’ behavior raised safety concerns.
Ghost guns and 3D printers… the tech is advancing, but so are the bad actors. This is a double-edged sword.
Wait, did the AI actually decide to call the police? That feels like a huge leap in autonomous decision-making authority.
Incredible. Tech saving lives and enforcing laws where humans can’t. I’m genuinely amazed by this outcome.