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In San Bruno, California, a routine DUI patrol turned into a viral moment when police pulled over a Waymo driverless car for making an illegal U-turn. With no human inside to cite, officers admitted their citation books had âno box for robot.â The incident revealed the challenges of policing autonomous vehicles.
The Incident
During a late-night checkpoint, officers saw a Waymo robotaxi commit a prohibited U-turn. The vehicle stopped automatically when the lights flashed, but there was no driver to hold accountable. Instead, police connected with a Waymo representative by phone. It underscored the awkward truth: enforcement tools still assume a human behind the wheel.
DUI Enforced With a Twist
On Facebook, San Bruno Police joked: âOur citation books donât have a box for ârobot.â Thatâs right⊠no driver, no hands, no clue.â The post included photos of officers inspecting the driverless car, which quickly spread online. The humor struck a chord, turning a routine traffic stop into a viral talking point.
Public Comments
The post drew hundreds of comments. One joked, “[I’ll] identify as a robot when I get pulled over.” Others said theyâd âhide in the trunk next time.â Some demanded the car be impounded, while defenders argued Waymo likely drives better than many humans.
Waymoâs Response
When contacted by the authorities, Waymo said the illegal turn was caused by a software âglitchâ and that its system is closely monitored by regulators. A spokesperson stressed the company learns from each incident to improve programming. For Waymo, transparency is key as public trust in self-driving technology remains fragile.
The Legal Gap
Under current California law, officers can only issue moving violations to human drivers. Parking tickets can be left on a vehicle, but thereâs no framework for citing a driverless car. That left San Bruno police with no option other than contacting the company and hoping for fixes.
New Legislation Coming
Lawmakers anticipated this gap. Assembly Bill 1777, signed in 2024, allows police to issue official ânotices of noncomplianceâ directly to manufacturers. Starting July 1, 2026, self-driving car companies, not absent drivers, will face penalties for traffic violations. Itâs a landmark shift in accountability.
Added Safety Measures
The new law also requires autonomous vehicles to include a dedicated emergency response phone line and a two-way communication device. These tools will allow officers to reach a human operator immediately when problems arise, ensuring clearer communication and more effective policing in future encounters.
Broader Safety Concerns
The Waymo incident isnât isolated. In San Francisco, autonomous vehicles have blocked intersections, wandered into crime scenes, and even dragged a pedestrian. Such events have raised alarms for first responders, adding urgency to calls for stricter oversight of robotaxis operating on public streets.
Policing the Future
The San Bruno stop may have sparked laughter online, but it highlights serious questions about law, safety, and accountability. Who takes the blame when a driverless car breaks the law â the company, the software, or no one? As California prepares new rules, this viral moment shows policing must evolve as quickly as technology.