What Happens When a Robotaxi Gets Pulled Over?

“What happens when an officer stops a car and there's no driver?” That’s the question people are asking in Phoenix, the largest market for autonomous car operator Waymo. reports Stacey Barchenger in Arizona Republic.

In June, a Waymo in Phoenix drove into oncoming traffic for roughly 30 seconds, prompting a police officer to pull it over. “The situation was cleared without further action. ‘UNABLE TO ISSUE CITATION TO COMPUTER,’ the police dispatch records say.”

Waymos are programmed to recognize law enforcement and pull over. “Officers can use an intercom in the car to speak to an operator in real time or call a dedicated phone number, according to Phoenix police spokesperson Sgt. Brian Bower. The cars can also be put into a manual override so first responders can move them if necessary, Bower said.”

Of the 31 incidents involving Waymo vehicles under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 14 happened in Arizona. “ Those incidents included potential violations of traffic laws and crashes when the self-driving car was the only one involved.”