June 9, 2025

When Robotaxis Get Attacked: Do Waymo Cars Need a ‘Danger Escape Mode’?

The surreal images from this weekend in Los Angeles felt like a scene from a dystopian film: self-driving Waymo taxis, symbols of a high-tech future, being vandalized and set ablaze amidst fiery protests.

As demonstrators clashed over federal immigration raids, these autonomous vehicles became unintended targets, their windows smashed, tires slashed, and systems silenced by spray paint before being engulfed in flames. This isn’t the first time Waymos have been attacked by humans, but the severity of this incident raises a critical question about the next evolution in autonomous vehicle safety.

This blog overviews the recent attacks and offers our analysis on whether these vehicles now require a dedicated “escape from danger” mode.

Why Were Waymo Vehicles Targeted?

During the unrest in downtown Los Angeles, at least five Waymo Jaguar I-Paces were destroyed. While Waymo stated it had no reason to believe the protests were specifically related to their vehicles, the robotaxis became a canvas for anti-ICE messages and a focal point for destruction. These cars, often seen as symbols of big tech, automation-driven job loss, and even surveillance due to their vast sensor suites, can become lightning rods for public anger, regardless of the protest’s original cause.

This pattern isn’t new; Waymo vehicles and other AVs have faced numerous acts of vandalism in San Francisco and other cities. What’s different now is the scale and context—being caught in the crossfire of widespread civil unrest. Waymo’s response was to halt service in the area, but this reactive measure doesn’t solve the problem for a vehicle that might already be in a volatile situation with a passenger inside.

Analysis: The Case for an Escape Mode

From an Aragon Research perspective, these attacks highlight a glaring gap in the operational capabilities of autonomous vehicles: the lack of a programmed response to direct, malicious human aggression. Currently, AVs like Waymo are designed for optimal road safety, prioritizing cautious driving, avoiding collisions, and obeying traffic laws with near-perfect compliance. Their programming is defensive in a traffic context, but passive and vulnerable in a human one. When a crowd surrounds a vehicle, it stops. When its sensors are blocked, it stops. This default to immobility is a safety feature in many scenarios, but in the face of a mob, it turns a sophisticated piece of technology into a sitting duck.

The solution isn’t a “self-defense” mode in the confrontational sense, which would open a Pandora’s box of ethical and legal dilemmas. An AV should never be programmed to cause harm. However, the introduction of a sophisticated “Danger Escape Mode” is now a logical and necessary evolution. Such a mode would use the vehicle’s 360-degree sensor suite to detect imminent threats—such as multiple people approaching in a hostile manner, objects being thrown, or attempts to breach the vehicle.

When triggered, the vehicle’s primary directive would shift from passive safety to active escape. This could involve autonomously executing a multi-point turn, mounting a curb if necessary and safe to do so, or navigating through complex environments to exit the danger zone and reach a pre-defined safe location. The ethical programming would still prioritize avoiding harm to pedestrians, but it would accept minor traffic infractions over allowing the vehicle and its occupants to be incapacitated or harmed.

What Should Enterprises Do About This News?

For enterprises that are early adopters or considering piloting autonomous delivery or transportation services, these events serve as a critical case study in risk assessment. This is a development that should be understood more deeply. The assumption that AVs will operate in a consistently orderly and lawful environment is flawed.

Re-evaluate Operational Risk: Companies must factor in social and political unrest as a potential operational hazard. Deployment plans should include analyses of areas with higher probabilities of protests or social friction.
Demand Enhanced Safety Features: When contracting with AV providers like Waymo, enterprises should press for details on their protocols for handling civil unrest and mob-related threats. The demand for an “escape mode” or similar functionality should become a standard part of procurement conversations.
Executives should avoid these services when there is civil unrest – until such time as they and their firm are comfortable that there is not a security risk if a vehicle gets attacked.

Bottom Line

The burning Waymo taxis in Los Angeles are a stark illustration that the challenges facing autonomous vehicles are not just technological and regulatory, but also deeply social. While designed to be superior drivers, they are currently unprepared for the unpredictability of human aggression. Programming a vehicle to be timid and cautious is sound for road safety but proves to be a dangerous vulnerability in the face of a mob.

The industry must now move beyond simple collision avoidance and develop sophisticated “escape” protocols. For enterprises looking to leverage this technology, the key takeaway is that ensuring the physical security of these assets and any passengers against human attack is now as critical as ensuring their ability to navigate traffic safely.

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When Robotaxis Get Attacked: Do Waymo Cars Need a ‘Danger Escape Mode’?