Two 15-year-old boys ended up in police custody Monday afternoon after a Waymo autonomous vehicle in San Mateo, California, reported their disruptive behavior and stopped to await officers. The teens were allegedly drinking alcohol and shooting water beads from toy gel blasters while riding in the driverless car.
According to the San Mateo Police Department, Waymo’s remote operators monitored the activity through the vehicle’s interior cameras. The car safely pulled over in a parking lot near El Camino Real and Highway 92, then notified police. Officers responded with a high-risk stop, initially concerned the toy guns might be real weapons.
Upon investigation, authorities found white-and-blue toy gel blasters, orange pellets in Powerade bottles and alcohol inside the vehicle. No one was injured, and the teens were released to their parents. No charges have been announced.
Waymo vehicles, which operate commercially in the San Francisco Bay Area, have safety features including remote human oversight and policies prohibiting alcohol consumption and requiring adult supervision for passengers under 18. The incident highlights both the monitoring capabilities of autonomous technology and ongoing challenges around youth behavior in unsupervised rides.
San Mateo police used the event to remind parents about monitoring teens, posting publicly about the case. No broader community impact or related incidents were reported.
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