DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) — A Waymo self-driving taxi drove a passenger through the scene of a police standoff in downtown Los Angeles last week, according to a viral video posted online Monday.
The Waymo taxi came across a street blocked by police vehicles early Friday before turning into an area that was not blocked off where other vehicles were also traveling, according to a Waymo spokesperson.
Officers were conducting a high-risk felony arrest after a stolen vehicle pursuit at around 3:40 a.m. when the Waymo drove through the intersection of First Street and Broadway, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Waymo said the vehicle was in the vicinity of the event for “no more than 15 seconds.”
“Safety is our highest priority at Waymo, both for people who choose to ride with us and with whom we share the streets. When we encounter unusual events like this one, we learn from them as we continue improving road safety and operating in dynamic cities,” a spokesperson for Waymo said in a statement provided to ABC7.
The incident did not impact the LAPD’s tactics, police said. The LAPD also said it has a 24/7 hotline for coordinating issues with Waymo.
Waymo began operating its driverless taxis in Los Angeles early last year and opened its service to everyone in November 2024.
