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Cop Pulls Over Robotaxi For Illegal Turn But There’s No One Behind The Wheel

  • A Waymo robotaxi initially came to an unexpected stop in the middle of the road.
  • Shortly after the driver of a G-Class approached it, the car made an illegal left turn.
  • When it stopped again, an officer checked it out, but couldn’t hand out a ticket.

A Waymo self-driving robotaxi in Los Angeles recently found itself in a bit of a pickle after stopping abruptly in traffic, making an illegal left turn, and then being pulled over by a police officer in the heart of Los Angeles. While a human driver might have ended up with a ticket, fully autonomous vehicles currently dodge that fate in California since there’s no person behind the wheel to hold accountable.

Read: Waymo’s NYC Debut Comes With Training Wheels

A clip of the incident was recently shared on social media. It shows a white Jaguar I-Pace stopped in the middle of a road in Beverly Hills, much to the dismay of a Mercedes-Benz G-Class driver behind it.

According to the individual filming, the man slapped the rear of the car, either purely out of frustration, or in the hope it would get the car to start moving. Not the most reliable method, but hey, it occasionally works on stubborn toasters at home.

Maybe it did in this case too, because moments later, the robotaxi began moving again. But its next moves didn’t exactly smooth things over. A police officer in a Ford Explorer pulled in behind it, just as the Waymo SUV slipped in front of an electric Mercedes and made an awkward, and illegal, left turn.

After appearing to get confused by the flashing red and blue lights behind it, the robotaxi eventually pulled over to the side of the road.

@kiefer_d_live Replying to @himothee55 I used the song to cover up my hysterical laughter 🫣 #waymo ♬ original sound – Kiefer_D

It’s unclear what happened after the officer stepped out and approached the Jag, but they likely spoke with a human operator over the phone as there was no one onboard at the time.

No Ticket, But Not Off the Hook for Long

In the end, Waymo’s car probably without a ticket. According to The Washington Post, autonomous vehicles are currently exempt from receiving moving violations in California, as these must be issued to a human driver.

However, this policy is set to change. Starting in July 2026, police will be able to issue “notices of autonomous vehicle noncompliance” when a self-driving vehicle breaks the rules of the road. Not a moment too soon, if we may add.

Screenshot TikTok @kiefer_d_live / Waymo

This Is The Electric GT That Will Either Save Or Kill Jaguar

  • Jaguar’s upcoming electric four door GT has been spied ahead of its debut late this year.
  • The model follows in the footsteps of the Type 00 concept, but features a tamer design.
  • The sedan will ride on the new Jaguar Electrical Architecture and offer 430 miles of range.

Jaguar has largely gone radio silent since unveiling the Type 00 concept in December. It marked the beginning of a new era for the brand, which had struggled trying to chase Audi, BMW, and Mercedes.

However, a lot is happening behind the scenes as the British automaker continues testing their “electric four door GT.” It’s slated to debut late this year and will be built in the United Kingdom.

More: Radical Jaguar Type 00 Concept Previews Make-Or-Break Electric Sedan

A prototype was recently spied undergoing testing near the Nürburgring and it appears to remain pretty faithful to the concept. While a number of details are hidden by camouflage and padding, we can see the production model will have an upright front fascia and slender headlights. They’re joined by a sporty lower intake that is broken up into three different sections.

Bigger changes occur further back as the production model has four doors and a larger greenhouse. Designers also gave the car flush-mounted door handles and a massive charging port cover. Elsewhere, there are sizable wheels and a sporty roofline that echoes the concept.

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The rear end is heavily disguised, but could be far more harmonious than the appliance-like rear end seen on the Type 00. Details are hard to make out, but it appears the model will have a slender, split taillight bar. We can also get a glimpse of what appears to be a more curvaceous bumper and fascia.

We can expect to learn more later this year, but the company has already confirmed the car will ride on the all-new Jaguar Electrical Architecture. It’s also slated to have a range of up to 430 miles (692 km) as well as a fast charging capability that can deliver 200 miles (322 km) of range in as little as 15 minutes.

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Protesters Torch Robotaxis As Cybertruck Spins Through LA Chaos

  • Waymo halted LA operations after several robotaxis were vandalized and set on fire.
  • Anti-ICE messages were spray-painted on the autonomous vehicles before being destroyed.
  • A Cybertruck with anti-ICE slogans was seen circling the protest area waving a large flag.

Several robotaxis operated by Waymo in Los Angeles have been torched by protestors as the National Guard arrived in the city. While locals have the right to protest, there’s no need to set Waymo vehicles on fire, simply as a means to vent their frustrations against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Footage shared to social media shows at least five Waymo vehicles vandalized by protestors in recent days, before being smashed and set alight. The attacks forced the self-driving division of Alphabet to pause its services in the city.

Read: Waymo’s Driverless Cars Kept Hitting Objects You See But They Don’t

According to the LA Times, protestors descended on an area of Los Angeles Street at approximately 5 p.m. on Sunday. They proceeded to slash the tires, smash the windows, and tag them with anti-ICE messages. At least one protester is believed to have used a makeshift flamethrower to set the interior of one of the Waymo robotaxis on fire.

Local police were forced to respond and had to close Los Angeles Street north of Arcadia and south of Alameda streets, declaring it an unlawful assembly. Not only is intentionally setting EVs on fire stupid, but it’s also dangerous, as burning batteries can release toxic fumes, including hydrogen fluoride.

Waymo Responds

Waymo responded to the incident in a statement to CBS News, saying it didn’t believe its vehicles were deliberately targeted but rather were “present during the protests.” That may be true, but it doesn’t exactly offer much comfort when your AI-powered fleet ends up as kindling during civil unrest.

This is not the first time that Waymo’s fleet of robotaxis has been targeted. In early 2024, a wild mob in San Francisco attacked one of the company’s Jaguar I-Pace models, setting it on fire.

The chaotic scenes across Los Angeles didn’t just lead to the destruction of several Waymo vehicles. Over the weekend, a blacked-out Tesla Cybertruck was filmed driving in circles at a major LA intersection, as seen in a video shared on Reddit. The EV was waving a large Mexican flag and had anti-ICE messages sprayed on both sides. It hasn’t been confirmed whether the truck was stolen, borrowed, or part of a performance protest, but it certainly added to the surreal tone of the weekend.

Screenshot Reddit

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