Waymo self-driving taxi takes passenger through active police scene in downtown LA, video shows

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES -- A Waymo self-driving taxi drove a rider done the country of a constabulary standoff successful downtown Los Angeles past week, according to a viral video posted online Monday.

The Waymo taxi came crossed a thoroughfare blocked by constabulary vehicles aboriginal Friday earlier turning into an country that was not blocked disconnected wherever different vehicles were besides traveling, according to a Waymo spokesperson.

Officers were conducting a high-risk felony apprehension aft a stolen conveyance pursuit astatine astir 3:40 a.m. erstwhile the Waymo drove done the intersection of First Street and Broadway, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Waymo said the conveyance was successful the vicinity of the lawsuit for "no much than 15 seconds."

"Safety is our highest precedence astatine Waymo, some for radical who take to thrust with america and with whom we stock the streets. When we brushwood antithetic events similar this one, we larn from them arsenic we proceed improving roadworthy information and operating successful dynamic cities," a spokesperson for Waymo said successful a connection provided to ABC7.

The incidental did not interaction the LAPD's tactics, constabulary said. The LAPD besides said it has a 24/7 hotline for coordinating issues with Waymo.

Waymo began operating its driverless taxis successful Los Angeles aboriginal past twelvemonth and opened its work to everyone successful November 2024.

ABC News contributed to this report.