A Waymo Passenger Took Quite the Detour in LA

A Waymo robotaxi with a passenger aboard unexpectedly drove right into the middle of an apparent police standoff in downtown Los Angeles last week, according to footage posted online and statements from the company and police. The incident took place around 3:40am on Friday, when officers were in the middle of a risky arrest following the pursuit of a stolen vehicle, ABC News reports. A rep for Waymo, which launched its driverless taxi service in LA early last year, says the vehicle encountered a street partially blocked by police cars, then turned into a lane where other cars were still moving.

Video posted on social media showed the incident. NBC News notes that, as the Waymo slowly made its way through the scene, the suspect "on the ground looked up to see what was going on." According to the LAPD, traffic hadn't yet been fully stopped at the intersection when the Waymo vehicle passed through. Police blocked off the area after the robotaxi entered.

Waymo said the car was near the police activity for "no more than 15 seconds." The company emphasized that safety is its top priority and that it uses incidents like this to improve its technology and procedures. The LAPD said the incident didn't affect its operations. The department also noted it has a 24/7 hotline to coordinate with Waymo.