Two 15-year-olds were detained by San Mateo police in California after the driverless Waymo taxi they were riding in reported them to authorities for allegedly drinking alcohol and firing toy guns from the vehicle. The incident, which took place on a Monday afternoon, highlights how autonomous vehicles fitted with internal monitoring can intervene in passenger misconduct, raising fresh questions about surveillance in self-driving cars.

According to police, a Waymo representative rang officers at around 2.10pm to report that two intoxicated passengers were shooting out of the vehicle. The car was directed to a stop near 20th Avenue and El Camino Real, with the teenagers told it was experiencing "car troubles" while they awaited police, who then carried out a high-risk stop with stun guns and a K9 unit. Officers recovered a painted-over toy gun and Powerade bottles filled with gel-based Orbeez pellets from the back seat; no one was injured and the teens cooperated with the search. The county District Attorney's Office is now weighing charges, including for underage drinking, while Waymo vehicles are noted to carry internal cameras and microphones for safety and emergencies.