Phoenix cop pulls over wrong-way Waymo, can't write ticket

Picture this: a police cruiser pulls over a car driving into oncoming traffic, the cop walks up to the driver's window ticket book in hand, and finds completely empty leather seats.

That exact scene played out in Phoenix, Arizona, involving a Waymo autonomous Jaguar I-Pace robotaxi.

"Unable to issue citation to computer"

According to bodycam footage and dispatch records, the driverless cab ventured into the oncoming lane near a construction zone. When an officer turned on his lights and sirens to initiate a traffic stop, the Jaguar didn't pull over right away—it drove through an intersection before finally coming to a halt.

Bodycam video shows the officer approaching the driverless vehicle. As if on cue, the driver's side window rolled down, connecting the officer directly to a remote Waymo support specialist through the car's speakers.

"So your car here drove into oncoming lanes of traffic," the officer explained. The support staffer replied that he would look into it right away on his computer.

When a curious pedestrian strolled up to ask what was going on, the officer summed up the absurdity of the situation. Later, in the official police dispatch log seen by local outlet AZCentral, the officer wrote the reason no ticket was written: "unable to issue citation to computer."

Waymo initially declined to comment, but after AZCentral made clear the story was running, the company claimed the vehicle encountered "inconsistent construction signage" and was blocked from maneuvering back into the proper lane for roughly 30 seconds. The report also highlighted another local clip showing a Waymo weaving down the road like a drunk driver.

Why it matters

It is a funny headline, but it points to a serious legal loophole as robotaxis scale across the country.

Our entire traffic enforcement framework is built around penalizing human drivers with points, fines, and suspended licenses to keep chaos in check. When there is no human behind the wheel, that system breaks down immediately. A cop cannot hand a ticket to an algorithm, and taking no action sends an awkward message that autonomous fleets can commit dangerous moving violations with zero immediate roadside consequences.

We think local governments will be forced to patch this hole quickly. Fleet operators need clear legal liability mechanisms on the road, whether that means automated municipal citations billed directly to the operating company's account or clear operational suspensions after repeat safety breaches.

For everyday drivers and riders, Waymo offers a remarkably smooth experience when things go right. But encountering a multi-ton driverless vehicle rolling the wrong way into your lane is terrifying, no matter how confused the construction cones were. If autonomous companies want full public trust, they will have to be held to the same traffic standards as everyone else sharing the road.