Waymo robotaxis are ferrying children and teens across Los Angeles

Driverless Waymo taxis are increasingly being used to transport children and teenagers in Los Angeles, where families say the cars help manage complicated schedules and act as a substitute for harried parents. Waymo began service in Los Angeles in 2024 and now operates roughly 700 cars across about 120 square miles from downtown to Santa Monica, part of a fleet available in five markets.

Parents and teenagers told the Times they value the absence of a human driver and the independence the cars provide; one seventh-grader, Alexis Munoz, said, “There’s no one in there, so I don’t have to worry about being awkward,” before climbing into a vehicle. Safety concerns persist.

Skeptics and critics point to incidents reported in multiple cities — a Waymo car was seen driving through an intersection during a police arrest in downtown Los Angeles, cars in Austin and Atlanta were recorded ignoring school-bus flashing lights and stop signs (prompting a voluntary software recall), and a Waymo vehicle struck and killed a cat in San Francisco.

Supporters counter that robotaxis can be monitored by live agents and may react faster than distracted or tired human drivers; one parent, Jason Shim, said, “I mean, there’s no way I can step on a brake as fast as a computer can.” Legal and regulatory questions remain central.

Key Topics

Tech, Waymo, Robotaxi, Los Angeles, California Law, Alphabet