Police Surprised as Waymo Drives Through Ongoing Police Standoff

Early Tuesday morning in downtown Los Angeles, a Waymo self-driving car unexpectedly drove through a red light and entered a live police standoff, raising safety concerns. Authorities had set up a felony stop following a citywide chase, according to NBC.

Video shared online by influencer Alex Choi captures the autonomous vehicle moving past a line of police cars, coming dangerously close to a suspect who was lying face down on the pavement, complying with officers' commands. In the footage, officers can be heard instructing the Waymo to clear the area, but the car slowed and moved toward the curb near the suspect instead.

Officers are audible shouting, Go to your left! Go to your left! as the car activated its right blinker. Since the vehicle cannot respond to verbal instructions, it continued its cautious maneuver near the scene. NBC confirmed that no injuries occurred, though the intersection was temporarily closed.

A Waymo spokesperson stated, Safety is our top priority for both riders and everyone on the streets. When unusual situations occur, we analyze them to enhance road safety and improve operations in complex urban environments.

Waymo has faced operational challenges elsewhere in California. In San Francisco, one of their vehicles accidentally struck a neighborhood cat, prompting scrutiny from officials. In Santa Monica, two Waymo charging facilities had to suspend overnight operations due to complaints about noise and traffic from nearby residents.

These incidents highlight the difficulties autonomous vehicles face in interpreting complex road situations that humans handle intuitively. With over 12,000 roadside police operations conducted daily in the U.S., how self-driving cars like Waymo adapt to such scenarios remains a key measure of their ongoing development and safety performance.

Author: Ethan Caldwell