Two 15-year-old boys were detained after San Mateo police said they were drinking and firing gel-based pellets from a driverless Waymo vehicle, prompting the company to alert authorities and stop the ride. The incident occurred Monday afternoon, and the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office is now deciding whether the teens will face charges, including underage drinking.
According to investigators, officers found alcohol and a toy gun that appeared to have been painted over inside the vehicle. Police said the teens were firing gel-based pellets known as Orbeez, which are similar to paintballs. The San Mateo Police Department posted on social media, asking parents, 'Do you know where your teens are? Waymo does!' Officers removed the teens from the vehicle and determined they were using toy guns to shoot Orbeez out the windows.
A video posted on Facebook shows at least five officers and a police dog responding to the scene and approaching the Waymo with their weapons raised. Police said Waymo vehicles are equipped with multiple cameras, and in this case, authorities said someone at the company was monitoring events in real time and provided officers with updates as the situation unfolded. Waymo directed officers to the vehicle after it stopped in a parking lot.
Waymo's online support page states that the vehicles have internal cameras and microphones that may be used in an emergency or to 'promote safety and security.' The company said it does not use facial recognition or other biometric identification technologies to identify individuals.