After a man jumped behind the wheel of a self-driving car and attempted to drive away, the company assured that the car’s technology included protection against bad actors.
A man allegedly tried to flee in a Waymo in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday. Police also responded and eventually removed the man from the vehicle. It was not immediately clear if the man was the person who reported the car.
The incident comes just months after Waymo began offering ride-hailing services to all Angelenos, raising questions about how the self-driving ride-hailing company protects its cars without humans.
The service currently operates more than 100 vehicles in Los Angeles from Santa Monica to downtown Los Angeles, but does not serve Los Angeles International Airport. Waymo has even more vehicles roaming the streets of San Francisco, Daly City, Phoenix, and several other locations.
The company says that out of more than 5 million Waymos rides, only a “handful” of people have attempted to rob its vehicles.
Even if that happens, the company said it is designed so that humans cannot override the autonomous driving system and operate the vehicle.
The car is also equipped with self-protection features. They can maneuver evasively and make other sounds, such as honking their horn or letting people outside the car know that 911 is on the way.
The outside door handles also fold down during the ride, preventing anyone from outside the vehicle from entering.
Despite these defense mechanisms, Waymo is also prepared for situations where a person gets into the driver’s seat. The company’s rider support team is immediately alerted and can request the person to exit the vehicle.
In Thursday’s incident, support teams asked the man to get out of the car, but he refused. The company then contacted the Los Angeles Police Department.
The man was released at the scene, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
