A police officer in San Bruno recently looked surprised when he tried to ticket a motorist. Turns out, the traffic violation was committed by a self-driving car, meaning there was no driver to whom he could issue the ticket. "Our system can't recognize that it's a robot."
Officers described the incident on Facebook. "During a traffic stop for drunk driving, we observed a car making a U-turn in a prohibited area," the San Bruno Police Department reported late last month. "Officers stopped the vehicle and contacted Waymo to inform them of the traffic violation."
Because no one was behind the wheel, the officers couldn't issue a ticket. "Our system doesn't allow us to check that it was a robot. Hopefully, reprogramming the software will prevent the car from making any prohibited maneuvers in the future."
The officers say they are undeterred by the incident. "Whether it's drivers, passengers, or self-driving cars, we will continue to work to keep San Bruno's streets safe."
