by Waymo robotaxi found itself in an unusual situation in Los Angeles
A Waymo driverless car stopped in the middle of the road in Beverly Hills, causing dissatisfaction for the driver of a Mercedes-Benz G-Class who was behind it. After the Mercedes driver hit the rear of the robotaxi, it began to move but made an illegal left turn. A police officer arrived at the scene but was unable to issue a fine because California does not yet have a mechanism for penalizing driverless vehicles.
Video of the incident, published on social networks, shows the robotaxi first stopping, then turning awkwardly and trying to understand the signals from the police car. In the end, it did pull over to the curb. The police officer likely contacted the Waymo operator, as there was no driver in the vehicle.
In response to a comment: “I used the song to mask hysterical laughter”
Legislative changes
Currently, in California, driverless cars do not receive traffic fines because they are intended for humans. However, starting in July 2026, police will be able to issue special notices of non-compliance for autonomous vehicles. This could become an important step in regulating driverless technology, especially after such incidents.
Similar cases demonstrate that even the most advanced systems can malfunction in real-world conditions. For now, driverless vehicles often become participants in unusual situations that require attention from both developers and regulators. Perhaps new rules will help reduce the number of such incidents in the future.
