What just happened? A man could be facing charges of attempted grand theft auto after allegedly trying to steal a self-driving Waymo cab in downtown LA. The incident happened on Saturday night when the car dropped off a passenger near city hall around 10:30 p.m.
As reported by the LA Times, 34-year-old Vincent Maurice Jones, believed to be an unhoused Los Angeles resident, got into the driver's seat of the autonomous vehicle and tried to drive away, but could not operate the controls. Once Waymo representatives realized what was happening, they asked Jones to get out of the car, using the on-board communication system. However, the suspect refused to leave the vehicle, forcing them to call the police.
Waymo confirmed the incident and claimed that its Rider Support Team only contacted the police after the suspect refused to exit the vehicle despite being instructed to do so. Once the police arrived on the scene, they removed Jones from the car and arrested him for attempted theft. The company added that no individual was injured in the incident, and the car did not suffer any damage.
It is worth noting that the LAPD has yet to confirm charges against the suspect, but the most significant one is likely to be felony attempted grand theft auto, punishable by a maximum of up to three years in prison. However, if charged as a misdemeanor, he could be looking at only a year in prison if convicted. Jones' mental state is not known yet, so it's unclear if he will be declared mentally fit to stand trial.
Autonomous cars are an increasingly common sight across California, despite many citizens expressing their unease over the technology. Some are so unhappy with the new cars that they are resorting to violence to express their disenchantment.
Just last month, a driverless Waymo taxi was vandalized and set on fire in San Francisco's Chinatown. Thankfully, the Jaguar I-Pace was empty at the time of the incident, and no injuries were reported.