Waymo’s self-driving cars include a valuable resource for law enforcement: a bunch of cameras.
Police have long sought data from tech companies, like Amazon and others, during their investigations. Now they are doing the same for self-driving cars. Waymo installs 29 cameras in each robotaxi, prompting some to question how much access authorities have to footage captured during rides.
During an interview on the “Hard Fork” podcast published on Friday, Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said the company adheres to a legal process.
“On the question of when and how law enforcement gets access to our data, we make that publicly known,” Mawakana said. “We follow the legal process to receive footage from our vehicles, and we narrow the scope of that as needed.”
A Waymo spokesperson told Business Insider it requires law enforcement to make a “valid” request.
“As a general matter, we require valid legal process (in the form of a warrant or court order) from law enforcement agencies who seek information and data from Waymo,” the spokesperson said. “Our policy is to challenge, limit, or reject requests that do not have a valid legal basis or are over broad.”
Autonomous vehicles, which are becoming more common in major US cities, have presented authorities with a new way to obtain footage that may be used as evidence. The LA Police Department posted footage obtained from a Waymo vehicle to its YouTube page in April. The footage showed a hit-and-run and displayed the phrase “Waymo Confidential Commercial Information.”
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Waymo’s privacy policy details parties that may gain access to information, including law enforcement and third parties, “for legal reasons.” A separate section outlines business purposes that would lead Waymo to disclose information.
“Waymo also uses information to satisfy applicable laws or regulations, and discloses information as required by regulation or in response to legal process or enforceable government requests, including to law enforcement,” the company says.
Mawakana told “Hard Fork” that retaining riders’ trust is a major focus for the company. In June, anti-ICE protesters set five Waymo cars on fire in Los Angeles, forcing the company to temporarily suspend service in the area.
“At the end of the day, we need communities to be able to trust us,” Mawakana said.
When asked if Waymo is “pushing back” on requests that are “too broad,” Mawakana said, “of course.”
“Not only is it burdensome, but also that’s just our process,” Mawakana.
