Police officers in San Bruno were left puzzled Friday night after pulling over a vehicle that made an illegal U-turn—only to find no driver inside.
The car, a Waymo driverless taxi, was stopped by officers south of San Francisco after committing the traffic violation. But since no human was behind the wheel, issuing a ticket proved impossible.
“Since there was no human driver, a ticket couldn’t be issued. Our citation books don’t have a box for ‘robot,’” San Bruno police said in a lighthearted social media post, calling the incident “a first” for law enforcement.
Officers reported the issue to Waymo, the autonomous vehicle company owned by Alphabet, which operates fleets of white, sensor-equipped Jaguar taxis in several U.S. cities.
A spokesperson for Waymo told AFP the company is investigating:
“We are looking into this situation and are committed to improving road safety through our ongoing learnings and experience.”
Waymo vehicles rely on advanced mapping and onboard computing systems to navigate city streets. While their sight of empty driver’s seats has unnerved some, the self-driving cars have become increasingly popular with passengers in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and other pilot cities.
The unusual stop highlights the growing challenges law enforcement faces as autonomous vehicles become a more common feature on American roads.