Would-Be Thief Tries Driving Off In Robotaxi

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Ah Los Angeles, the city which never sleeps, especially when it comes to crime. Perhaps the car thieves in the City of Angels should try catching more shuteye, because that might help them realize that trying to steal a robotaxi is a really bad idea. One suspect allegedly found this out the hard way.

A 10-year-old was caught driving on the interstate in Florida after crashing into another car.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, a man was arrested after jumping into a stopped Waymo Jaguar I-Pace after it dropped off a passenger at Main Street, north of 1st Street. The guy, identified as 33-year-old Vincent Maurice Jones, reportedly got into the driver’s seat and tried shifting the transmission into drive.

However, the would-be car thief couldn’t figure out how to work the fancy Jag controls. That’s when a Waymo representative got on the in-vehicle intercom and warned Jones to get out.

A smart person would realize a fully autonomous vehicle might not allow for human control unless some remote switch is flipped. And once it became apparent someone was remotely monitoring your attempts to take the car, well that should be reason enough to split.

Instead, Jones allegedly continued to try carjacking the self-driving taxi. That’s when someone at Waymo contacted LAPD and officers were dispatched to deal with the criminal genius.

We’re not saying there isn’t a way to steal a Waymo Jaguar I-Pace. Even if we did know how, we certainly wouldn’t share that with everyone else. After all, those cars with all the onboard sensors aren’t exactly cheap.

Waymo obviously doesn’t take kindly to anyone stealing their cars or angry mobs surrounding and torching them. But where some people see the convenience of getting a ride without having to talk to some smelly Uber driver, others see the opportunity to steal without a human present to stop them.

Image via Waymo

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