Two California teenagers were detained after using a Waymo robotaxi to carry out mock drive-by shootings with a gel-bead toy gun while drinking alcohol. The self-driving car's systems detected the misbehaviour, prompting Waymo to stop the vehicle and alert San Mateo Police, who removed and detained the pair. The incident highlights that Waymo's robotaxis actively monitor passengers and will enforce rider rules, including by involving law enforcement.

The teens, aged around 15, were found to be shooting Orbeez gel beads from the car while drinking, breaking several Waymo rules at once: no alcohol or drugs, no weapons, no throwing objects from the vehicle, and no unaccompanied riders under 18. Their weapon was a SplatRBall gel-bead shooter crudely painted black, which appeared realistic enough on the car's internal cameras to trigger alarms. Waymo notes it may review in-car footage and can access live video in urgent circumstances, so riders have no expectation of privacy. Police observed it was not the first such case — two men in Los Angeles were reported last year for drinking in a robotaxi — though officers credited the teens for at least avoiding a DUI.