An Unexpected Ride: Woman Gives Birth in a Driverless Taxi in San Francisco

A woman in San Francisco went into labor—and gave birth—while riding in a Waymo autonomous taxi. She was already on her way to the University of California, San Francisco medical center when labor unexpectedly progressed inside the vehicle. The remarkable story was first reported by local TV station KRON4 and later picked up by auto30.com.

Waymo’s passenger support system flagged what it described as “unusual activity” inside the car. Company operators contacted the rider, quickly understood what was happening, and placed a call to 911. Even so, the autonomous vehicle continued the trip and arrived safely at the hospital before emergency responders could intercept it—by that point carrying both the mother and her newborn.

The hospital later confirmed the woman and baby arrived safely. In a statement to NBC News, UCSF spokesperson Jess Bertold said the new mother has chosen not to speak publicly, and no additional details about her or the child’s condition were released.

Waymo said it was proud that its service was able to be part of such a significant life moment, “from the very first minutes of life and beyond.” The company also noted that the vehicle involved was immediately taken out of service for cleaning after the incident.

According to the report, the robotaxi maintained normal driving behavior throughout the trip, without sudden speed changes or risky maneuvers. While autonomous taxis still face criticism and challenges, studies increasingly suggest that, under typical conditions, self-driving vehicles can be safer on average than human drivers.