Police in California have made headlines after stopping a driverless taxi that carried out an illegal manoeuvre during a roadside DUI enforcement operation.
The unusual event unfolded in San Bruno, where officers spotted a Waymo autonomous vehicle performing an illegal U-turn directly in front of them at a set of traffic lights.
“No Driver, No Hands, No Clue”
The San Bruno Police Department shared the incident online, describing the encounter as a first for their officers. With no human driver present, officers were unable to issue a traditional citation.
In a statement, they joked:
“Our citation books don’t have a box for ‘robot’.”
Instead, police contacted Waymo directly to report the glitch, leaving the company responsible for investigating and reprogramming the vehicle.
Enforcement Gaps in the Law
Under current California law, traffic tickets can only be issued to human drivers. This meant the officers had no legal mechanism to penalise the company behind the self-driving car.
However, police stressed this was not leniency, but rather a limitation of existing legislation. New rules are set to come into force in July 2026, which will allow officers to issue “notices of non-compliance” to autonomous vehicle operators.
The updated law will also require firms to ensure their vehicles have two-way communication systems so emergency responders can contact a human operator in real time.
Growing Scrutiny of Autonomous Vehicles
The San Bruno incident highlights ongoing questions around the regulation of self-driving technology.
Autonomous vehicles have been trialled in several US cities, but reports of traffic infractions and confusing behaviour continue to fuel debate about their readiness for widespread adoption.
For police, the message remains clear:
“Whether it’s drivers, passengers, or even driverless cars, we’ll continue to do our part to keep San Bruno’s streets safe.”
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