US EditionCalifornia Police Accuse Waymo of Illegal Turn but Can’t Issue Driverless Car a Ticket
San Bruno police stopped a Waymo autonomous taxi for an illegal U-turn but could not issue a ticket due to laws requiring a human driver for moving violations; new legislation starts in 2026.
- Last Saturday, the San Bruno Police Department pulled over a Waymo autonomous taxi after it made an illegal U-turn and found no one behind the wheel.
- Under current regulations, officers can only cite a human driver for moving violations, while California’s new law allowing DMV notices lacks penalties and takes effect July 1, 2026.
- Officers activated their flashing lights and the Waymo taxi automatically stopped, then used its two-way system to report a glitch and received thanks from Waymo.
- The San Bruno Police Department's social-media post drew more than 500 comments, and Sgt. Scott Smithmatungol said the force serves 40,000 residents with 50 officers.
- Unlike California, Arizona law allows police to issue citations to driverless vehicles, while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigated 22 erratic Waymo reports and oversaw a 1,200-vehicle recall.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Waymo pulled over for illegal turn, but police can't issue driverless car a ticket
(KRON) – A Northern California police department was patrolling city streets during a late-night DUI enforcement operation over the weekend when they pulled over a white Jaguar SUV after a traffic violation. But the interaction was complicated by the fact there was no driver to hand a physical ticket to. The car that was pulled over was a driverless Waymo vehicle, which San Bruno police said made an illegal U-turn. The department contacted the a…
In California, police caught a car making a U-turn. They expected to issue a ticket but were stunned to see an empty driver's seat. It was a self-driving car that committed the violation.
When a driverless car makes an illegal u-turn, who gets the ticket? - Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Two officers in San Bruno, California, a suburb of San Francisco, were checking for drunken drivers over the weekend when they saw a car make an illegal U-turn right in front of them. But it wasn’t a drunken driver. It was a driverless Waymo taxi.
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