Overview
- Waymo remote operators accessed live interior camera feeds and told San Mateo police they saw a black object passed between two riders and what appeared to be recoil.
- The company remotely disabled and steered the vehicle into a shopping-center parking lot while telling the teens the car was 'having issues' so officers could safely approach.
- Police found two 15-year-olds, an Orbeez gel-blaster and open containers of alcohol, released the teens to their parents, and referred the matter to the San Mateo County District Attorney.
- Investigators have formally requested Waymo's in-cabin video as evidence, and the company says its cameras are 'on and recording' with live review permitted in urgent circumstances.
- Privacy experts and commentators have questioned when Waymo staff access live feeds and what thresholds trigger law-enforcement notification as regulators and prosecutors review company practices.