A shirtless man climbed atop a Waymo driverless taxi at a busy East Hollywood intersection on Saturday, smashing its windshield and tearing out roof-mounted sensor components before police arrested him on suspicion of vandalism.
July 11, 2026 · East Hollywood, Los Angeles
Man Climbs Waymo Robotaxi, Smashes Windshield and Rips Out Its Sensors
A shirtless man mounted a driverless taxi at a busy intersection, stomping the windshield and tearing away roof-mounted equipment before police arrested him on suspicion of vandalism — the latest flashpoint in growing friction over autonomous cars.
1:35 PM
Time of the Saturday afternoon incident
3
Sensor types on the roof: LiDAR, cameras & radar
1
Arrest on suspicion of vandalism
How the confrontation unfolded
Climbs on
Man mounts the driverless taxi at Sunset & Edgemont
→
Smashes
Stomps the windshield, tears out roof sensor components
→
Halts traffic
Vehicle flow stops as he shouts at passing cars
→
Arrested
LAPD takes him into custody on scene
Not an isolated case
Robotaxis have become both a novelty and, for some, a target.
Similar vandalism reported in other cities — notably San Francisco, where cars were tagged with graffiti and pelted with objects
Exposed roof sensors are costly and central to operation — a vulnerable, deliberately targeted point of attack
Public reaction — mixed
Read as anti-tech resentment toward driverless cars
Others responded with dark humor
Onlookers questioned the speed of police response
Open questions
Unclear if any passenger was inside
No public statement or damage assessment from Waymo
Hardening, monitoring or police coordination may shape public acceptance as fleets scale
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