Miguel Custodio Breaks Down the Viral Waymo Incident on KNX

by MIGUEL CUSTODIO

Last Updated in Car Safety

This week, CD Law partner Miguel Custodio joined KNX News to unpack a viral moment in downtown Los Angeles, one that has sparked major conversations about emerging technology, safety, and the law. Access Miguel’s insight using the link above or visit our Instagram page HERE.

 A Waymo Drives Through a Police Stop With Passengers

On Sunday Nov. 30, LAPD officers had pulled over a driver in downtown LA and ordered him to lie face-down on the pavement. The scene was tense and officers had their weapons drawn. Then something unexpected happened:

A driverless Waymo vehicle, carrying passengers, made a left turn right through the active police stop and kept going!

Officers shouted commands at the vehicle while bystanders captured the moment on video, which quickly went viral on social media.

Waymo later confirmed that the passengers safely reached their destination but the situation has now raised some serious questions.

Miguel’s Key Insight: “This Could Have Been Bad”

During his KNX appearance, Miguel highlighted what makes this incident so alarming. Had officers interpreted the autonomous vehicle as a threat, or if the Waymo’s movement interfered with the police stop, the passengers could have been in danger.

Miguel explained. “You have emerging technology and you have laws or legislation that is still not even out to control this technology. And so you have the issue of what happens if this Waymo has a driving infraction or causes injuries to its passengers. Right now there isn’t any legislation and that’s a big worry.”

This moment underscores why the legal system needs to keep pace with advancing technology. Traditional drivers can be ticketed or arrested for ignoring police commands. But under current California law? Police had no recourse for the driverless vehicle that drove through the stop.

And as passengers, we also want to know that we’re protected. With no legislation set in stone for these kinds of incidents, what kind of legal justice could the passengers be after if something bad happened while driving through the active police scene?

CD Law is proud to see Partner Miguel Custodio continue to be a trusted voice in high-profile legal conversations. As technology evolves faster than legislation, our team remains committed to protecting the rights, safety, and futures of our communities!

Stay tuned for more media appearances, insights, and updates from CD Law.