- Officers in San Bruno stopped a car making an illegal U-turn with no driver inside
- The vehicle was identified as an autonomous Waymo car, prompting a police report to the company
- No citation was issued as current laws do not cover driverless vehicles or robots
A DUI, or Driving Under the Influence, enforcement operation in the US city of San Bruno took an unexpected turn when officers pulled over a car with no driver inside.
The police said that the two officers stopped the car when they observed it making an illegal U-turn at a traffic signal.
In a social media post, the San Bruno Police Department recounted the bizarre encounter. "That's right ... no driver, no hands, no clue."
Officers stopped the vehicle and contacted Waymo to report the apparent glitch. Because there was no human behind the wheel, police noted, a citation could not be issued. "Our citation books don't have a box for 'robot,'" the department joked.
They added that future legislation may eventually allow officers to issue notices to companies operating autonomous fleets.
Police emphasised that the unusual stop marked a first for the department, but also stressed their ongoing commitment to public safety. "Whether it's drivers, passengers, or even driverless cars, we'll continue to do our part to keep San Bruno's streets safe," the post read.
Waymo, meanwhile, acknowledged the incident in a statement shared with CBS News Bay Area. A company spokesperson said the autonomous system is "designed to respect the rules of the road" and that the firm is "looking into this situation" while continuing to refine its technology.
In January this year, another incident involving Waymo came to light when a Los Angeles tech entrepreneur nearly missed his flight after being trapped in a self-driving vehicle for several minutes.
Mike Johns, on his way to the airport in Phoenix in an autonomous Waymo vehicle, had the most chaotic ride of his life when the vehicle began circling a parking lot.
Mr Johns sought assistance from Waymo's support team over the phone. "I got my seat belt on. I can't get out of the car. Has this been hacked? What's going on?" Mr Johns can be heard saying in a video he shared on LinkedIn. "I feel like I'm in the movies. Is somebody playing a joke on me? And I got a flight to catch."
The vehicle continued its dizzying loops, he said, asking what was happening to him on a Monday. Following the ride, Mr Johns said he'd henceforth keep it old-school and prefer a taxi with a driver.
