Men blocked Waymo driverless taxi in San Francisco harassment incident
A Waymo driverless taxi passenger in San Francisco reported that two men blocked her vehicle in the street and harassed her for her phone number in late September 2024. The autonomous vehicle stalled and could not proceed until Waymo's support staff intervened and the men eventually moved away.
What happened
On September 30, 2024, Amina was riding in a Waymo driverless taxi in San Francisco when two men blocked the vehicle in the street and demanded her phone number. Amina said one man stood in front of the car for about a minute, and then a second man joined him. She also reported that 'a random guy walking with a blow torch' appeared during the incident.
Amina shouted at the men to move away, repeatedly saying 'no', 'get out of the way', 'move', and 'you're holding up traffic'. She said the ordeal lasted a few minutes. Waymo's in-car support system called her during the incident to assist, and the company followed up afterward.
Reported impact
Amina described the experience as 'scary' and stated the car was 'stalled in the street'. She said she was 'afraid more men would crowd around', which she feared would escalate the situation. Viewers of her video described the ordeal as 'terrifying'.
Amina indicated she will 'be careful taking it alone' in the future, though she stated Waymo's support team was responsive and she may still use the service.
Index analysis
Waymo stated that such incidents are 'exceedingly rare' among the 100,000 trips it serves per week in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. The driverless vehicle's autonomous system did not override the men's physical blockade, leaving the passenger unable to proceed without human intervention to remove the obstruction.
Governance controls
Waymo offers 24/7 access to Rider Support agents who can help passengers navigate situations in real-time and coordinate with law enforcement. The company apologized to Amina and said her safety 'remains our top priority'.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.