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LAPD: Man tries to ‘carjack’ self-driving Waymo taxi, is quickly arrested

Video from the scene shows officers approaching the Waymo vehicle with ballistic shields before opening the door and removing the man

LOS ANGELES – Video shows police arresting a man suspected of attempting to carjack a driverless Waymo robotaxi in downtown Los Angeles, KCAL reported.

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“In my professional opinion, the gentleman should never have been out of jail,” Marysville Police Chief Christian Sachs said. “And yet here we are”

LAPD officers responded to the incident, finding the man, reportedly under the influence, seated in the driver’s seat of a Waymo Jaguar I-PACE, according to the report. The seat is typically vacant as the vehicles operate autonomously.

Footage from the scene shows officers approaching the Waymo vehicle with ballistic shields before opening the door and removing the man, who was then taken into custody.

Waymo, which launched its fully autonomous ride-hailing service in Los Angeles in November, said unauthorized individuals cannot manually operate its vehicles, according to the report. The company’s automated driving systems are designed to prevent disengagement, and if a person enters the driver’s seat, Waymo’s Rider Support team intervenes remotely.

In a statement, Waymo said its Emergency Response Team works with law enforcement in such cases. Instances of unauthorized attempts to control the vehicles have been rare, the company noted, citing over 5 million rides completed.

The vehicles, powered by Waymo’s proprietary system of hardware and software, include sensors, cameras and an AI platform, according to the report. The technology ensures safe navigation on surface streets but is not authorized for freeway use in Los Angeles.

Joanna Putman is an Associate Editor and newswriter at Police1, where she has been covering law enforcement topics since August 2023. Based in Orlando, Florida, she holds a journalism degree from the University of Florida and spent two years working in nonprofit local newsrooms, gaining experience in community-focused reporting. Married to a law enforcement officer, she works hard to highlight the challenges and triumphs of those who serve and protect. Have a news tip? Email her at news@lexipol.com