Why do people mess with Waymos...and why do Waymo vehicles "freeze" when this happens?

Last year, a Waymo Public Affairs Community Specialist gave our group a presentation about the Waymo One pilot in Los Angeles. During Q&A, the rep shared that he had several encounters with teenagers stepping in front a the Waymo he was in, preventing it from moving forward.

His response was to get out of the car and shoo the teenagers away.

I'm a 59 F and this happened to me this past Wednesday, January 29 here in Los Angeles.

Two teenage boys, one on a scooter, one on a bike, came up from behind the Waymo I was in. They came up along the passengers side of the vehicle while it was stopped at a stop sign, waiting to make a right turn. When one of them started touching the passenger's side side mirror and navigation equipment, the Waymo announced to me that it was encountering a hazard and it turned its hazard lights on.

I waited for the Waymo to do something more, but nothing happened. So I pounded on the back passenger's side window, which, thankfully, was enough to startle the teens, who took off across the street.

After the "hazards" left, the vehicle was still frozen in place, my ride essentially suspended. I had to contact Rider Services to get the vehicle moving again.

I briefly told the agent what happened, that the teens were gone, and I needed the vehicle to start moving again so I could get to my appointment. The first thing the agent asked was did I need EMS and was I hurt. Taken aback by his question, I answered no and no. He got the Waymo moving again, and then brought his supervisor on the line for me to share what happened with him.

At this point, I was focused on getting to my appointment, annoyed I was now going to be late.

As I've shared this experience with my husband and friends, researched similar incidents involving Waymo vehicles in San Francisco and Los Angeles and thought about my experience, I'm having concerns about how safe it is to take a Waymo. Because it's clear that some people go out of their way to mess with, vandalize and even destroy Waymo vehicles, both with and without passengers in them.

So why aren't Waymos programmed to drive defensively and attempt to get clear of hazards, aka the teenagers trying to vandalize it? And once the coast is clear, why don't the vehicles start moving again and resume their trips?

Instead of sitting there like the proverbial deer in the headlights, why isn't the vehicle programmed to respond to hazards by honking it's horn? And if people are blocking it's path or touching the outside of the vehicle, why not set off an alarm or make an announcement like, "This vehicle is in service. Please move away from the vehicle."?

I know every mode of transportation has its downside. I just find myself having second thoughts about being in a robotaxi that shuts down/off in response to a hazard.