A viral video out of Phoenix, Arizona shows police pulling over a fully autonomous Waymo vehicle—with no one in the driver’s seat. The incident, captured by a nearby motorist, has sparked a wave of concern over how driverless cars behave in high-pressure, real-world scenarios such as police stops, detours, and construction zones.
What Happened
In the video:
-
A Waymo car entered a construction zone and briefly drove into oncoming traffic.
-
Phoenix police activated their lights to intervene.
-
The car did not initially respond or pull over properly.
-
Eventually, it stopped—though with no human driver to engage, police appeared unsure how to handle the situation.
The Waymo vehicle reportedly attempted to "correct" its position mid-stop, further complicating the traffic stop.
Waymo’s Statement
Waymo acknowledged the event, stating that the vehicle experienced a "challenging situation" due to unexpected road signage and lane shifts. The company said it is analyzing the incident and working to refine its AI response to emergency vehicles and construction reroutes.
Rising AV Incidents: The Bigger Picture
This isn’t an isolated case. Incidents involving Waymo and other autonomous vehicle operators are being documented with increasing frequency—especially in cities that have allowed full driverless operation.
Notable Statistics:
-
San Francisco emergency services reported 55 AV-related disruptions in just six months of 2023, including blocked fire trucks and ambulances.
-
In Phoenix, at least 12 driverless vehicle incidents were reported to local authorities between 2022 and 2024, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
-
A Consumer Reports survey from late 2024 found that 63% of Americans are “not confident” in current AV safety standards.
-
Over 500 formal complaints about AV behavior were filed with the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) in 2023 alone.
Other Cities Seeing AV Safety Concerns
San Francisco, CA
-
Waymo and Cruise vehicles have stalled in intersections, blocked emergency responders, and confused school zones.
-
In one incident, multiple AVs surrounded an active fire scene, preventing a hose from being connected.
Austin, TX
-
Waymo vehicles were documented blocking lanes during peak traffic.
-
Complaints also cited robotaxis stopping in mid-turn due to confused traffic light signals.
Los Angeles, CA
-
Several neighborhoods have reported AVs double-parking, idling in bike lanes, and failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.
The Legal and Safety Implications
These incidents raise difficult questions:
-
Who’s liable when there’s no driver?
-
How can law enforcement interact with vehicles that can’t respond verbally?
-
Are current state regulations and oversight strong enough to keep pace with technology?
As AV testing expands, so does the gap between technology and accountability.
Final Thoughts
The Phoenix video is more than just viral content—it’s a wake-up call. While Waymo and others promise improvements, incidents like this show that real-world driving still presents too many edge cases for AVs to handle with full confidence.
Until comprehensive oversight, public trust, and technical reliability are in sync, driverless cars remain a high-tech experiment with very real-world consequences.
