SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – A San Francisco woman experienced an unexpected delivery this week when she gave birth inside a Waymo self-driving taxi while en route to the University of California, San Francisco medical center. According to the company, the woman went into active labor during the ride, prompting the vehicle’s rider support team to detect unusual activity, reach out to the passenger, and alert emergency responders. The robotaxi continued to the hospital and arrived ahead of first responders, where medical staff took over care for both mother and newborn. Hospital officials confirmed their arrival and noted that the mother was not available for interviews. Following the trip, the vehicle was removed from service for cleaning. Waymo added that while such moments are rare, this is not the first time one of its autonomous taxis has hosted a birth, and the company highlighted its growing role in critical and everyday transportation moments.
The incident comes as self-driving taxis continue to gain popularity across San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, even amid increasing public scrutiny. Recent months have seen the vehicles criticized for traffic missteps—such as an illegal U-turn in San Bruno that left police unable to issue a citation due to state law—and for a tragic collision in which a well-known Mission District cat named Kit Kat was fatally struck. Despite these controversies, the driverless cars remain in high demand, and Waymo positions the latest birth inside one of its vehicles as an example of how its technology is becoming part of riders’ most significant life moments.