Waymo Vehicle Drives Into Police Standoff in Downtown Los Angeles
A Waymo autonomous vehicle drove into the middle of an active police standoff in downtown Los Angeles, passing armed officers and a suspect without recognizing the emergency situation. The vehicle and passengers reportedly cleared the scene safely within seconds.
What happened
A Waymo autonomous vehicle made a left turn directly into the middle of an active Los Angeles Police Department standoff in downtown Los Angeles, driving past an armed suspect on the ground and LAPD officers with weapons drawn, with a police helicopter circling overhead.
According to Waymo, the vehicle cleared the scene in seconds and passengers reached their destination safely.
Reported impact
The vehicle inserted itself into an armed confrontation involving law enforcement and an armed suspect, creating potential risk during an active police operation.
Index analysis
The autonomous system did not recognize or appropriately respond to an active police standoff, driving into crossfire and past armed personnel without deviation or alert.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.