Waymo Robotaxi Calls Cops on Teens, AR-Style Ghost Gun Recovered in SF

Two juvenile passengers riding in a Waymo autonomous vehicle were arrested in San Francisco after company systems detected a firearm violation and alerted emergency services. The incident occurred shortly before 4 a.m. on September 3 in the city's Richmond District, prompting a coordinated police response.

San Francisco police officers conducted a high-risk vehicle stop and detained the two minors, a boy and a girl. A subsequent search of the robotaxi revealed a loaded, AR-style assault rifle, suspected marijuana, and mace spray.

"The company pulled the car over after detecting a violation of our terms of service involving a firearm," said a Waymo spokesperson, noting that the company cooperated fully with law enforcement.

The ongoing investigation highlights the complex safety and security challenges faced by autonomous fleet operators as robotaxis expand to major cities nationwide. Waymo's automated remote monitoring systems are designed to detect unusual passenger activity and intervene or alert authorities when safety policies are breached.

Following their apprehension, the two suspects were taken into custody and transferred to a local juvenile hall as the police investigation remains active. Waymo continues to scale its commercial driverless operations across multiple states despite occasional security incidents involving passengers.