A San Francisco woman just gave birth in a Waymo robotaxi — and Waymo says it’s not the first time
Waymo self-driving taxis went viral for negative reasons, including the death of a beloved San Francisco bodega cat and an illegal U-turn in front of police who were unable to issue a ticket to a nonexistent driver.
But this week, self-driving taxis are bringing happier news after a San Francisco woman gave birth in a Waymo.
The mother was on her way to the University of California San Francisco Medical Center on Monday when she gave birth inside the robotaxi, a Waymo spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday. The company said its passenger support team detected “unusual activity” inside the vehicle and called to check on the passenger and alert 911.
Waymo, which is owned by Google parent company Alphabet, declined to say how the vehicle knew something was wrong.
The company said it had cameras and microphones inside and outside the cars.
The taxi and its passengers arrived safely at the hospital before emergency services. Jess Berthold, a UCSF spokeswoman, confirmed that the mother and child were taken to the hospital. She said the mother was not available for interviews.
Waymo said the vehicle was taken out of service for cleaning after the ride. Although still rare, this is not the first baby delivered in one of its taxis, the company said.
“We’re proud to be a trusted company for moments big and small, serving runners ages from seconds to years,” the company said.
Driverless taxis have grown in popularity even as they face greater scrutiny. Riders can take them on highways and interstates around San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles and Phoenix.
In September, a Waymo turned around in front of a sign telling drivers not to do that, and social media users lashed out at San Bruno police because state law prohibited officers from issuing a ticket to the car. In October, a popular tabby cat named Kit Kat, known for wandering around her Mission District neighborhood, was crushed to death by a Waymo.
