Waymo Is Trying to Crack Down on Solo Kids in Driverless Cars
Key takeaways
- Waymo is working to crack down on the practice, the company confirmed Friday, after reports of new mid-ride age-verification checks began to float around on social media.
- The company uses cameras inside its cars to check that riders aren’t violating its rules.
- The state is evaluating new rules that could allow solo riders under 18 in driverless cars, perhaps patterned after a program that permits ride-hail companies with human drivers to transport minors in California.
Why this matters: a development in AI with implications for how people work, create, and decide.
Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images Comment Loader Save Story Save this story Comment Loader Save Story Save this story By law, autonomous vehicles aren’t legally allowed to carry unaccompanied minors in California. Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving car company, doesn’t allow kids under 18 to ride alone anywhere outside of metro Phoenix, Arizona. But that hasn’t stopped some time-strapped parents from using their own accounts to transport their kids to school, extracurricular activities, and even social outings. Some have reported that the lack of drivers makes them feel safer.
Waymo is working to crack down on the practice, the company confirmed Friday, after reports of new mid-ride age-verification checks began to float around on social media. The company has “policies in place” to help it identify violations of its terms of service, Waymo spokesperson Chris Bonelli wrote in a statement to WIRED. “We are continuing to refine our system and processes for accuracy over time.” Violating its terms of service can lead to temporary or permanent suspension of an account, Waymo says.
The company uses cameras inside its cars to check that riders aren’t violating its rules. Its privacy policy notes that the company records video inside the vehicle during trips. Waymo says its support workers “may review video under certain circumstances,” and, “in more urgent circumstances,” access live video during a trip. The company says it does not use facial recognition or "other biometric identification technologies" to identify individuals.