Robotaxi Calls the Cops on Boozing Teens

A self-driving car in California ended up chauffeuring two allegedly tipsy 15-year-olds with toy guns—until Waymo itself called the cops. San Mateo police say they responded after Waymo reported the teens were "drinking and shooting from the vehicle." The driverless car then stopped in a parking lot, awaiting a police response, per the Los Angeles Times. Video shows several officers approaching the robotaxi with their weapons drawn. It turned out the teens were riding around town, drinking and firing gel-filled Orbeez pellets from toy guns out of the car, police say, per KABC.

It's unclear whether the teens will face charges. Police scolded them on Facebook for their "bad ideas," reminding the public that even toy guns can cause injury and alarm, though they acknowledged "there was some ingenuity to this scheme" and it would've been "so much worse" if the teens had instead decided to drive impaired. Commenters agreed. "At least they got a designated driver," one wrote, per the Times, while another accused Waymo of "snitching." The company says internal cameras and microphones may be used to "promote safety and security," or in case of an emergency, but that the use of facial recognition is out of the question.