Waymo Remotely Stops Car With 2 Teens After Orbeez Gun Scare, Raising Privacy Questions
Updated
Updated · NBC Bay Area · Jul 7
Waymo Remotely Stops Car With 2 Teens After Orbeez Gun Scare, Raising Privacy Questions
3 articles · Updated · NBC Bay Area · Jul 7
Summary
Waymo remotely disabled a driverless car in San Mateo after employees watching live interior video believed two teens were firing a real gun from inside.
Police treated it as a high-risk stop near 20th Avenue and El Camino Real, then removed the 14- and 15-year-olds and found they had been shooting an Orbeez toy gun while drinking.
To keep the passengers from leaving before officers arrived, Waymo told them the vehicle was having mechanical trouble and shared the car’s location with police.
The teens were released to their parents, and prosecutors are reviewing a possible open-container violation while police work with Waymo on any additional charges.
The case is also sharpening debate over autonomous-vehicle surveillance, with experts questioning when live cabin monitoring begins and how such footage should be used in police investigations.