On June 19, a Phoenix police officer stopped a Waymo vehicle traveling in the oncoming lane. The car, apparently confused by some construction signs, reportedly ran a red light and then pulled into the parking lot, allowing police to speak with a Waymo support representative.
A local publication released about two and a half minutes of body camera footage AZ Central, tThe officer told Waymo that the car was traveling in a construction zone and “hit the oncoming lane, which was really bad.” He then told a curious onlooker what happened, adding, “So I lit it up and it took off in the intersection.” A dispatch note said the car ran a red light and “freaked out” before pulling over, according to the report.
Waymo told multiple media outlets that due to “inconsistent construction signs,” the vehicle drove into the oncoming lane and was “unable to return to the correct lane.” The company said the vehicle drove away from police officers “in an attempt to clear the intersection” and then into a traffic-clogged parking lot. The company reportedly said the stop lasted “approximately one minute.”
