First responders have been required to manually take control of Waymo self-driving vehicles and move them out of traffic during emergency situations, according to multiple documented incidents.

TechCrunch identified at least six instances where police officers or firefighters had to intervene with Waymo's autonomous vehicles. In at least two cases, the interventions occurred at active crime scenes where the vehicles needed to be relocated.

The incidents highlight ongoing challenges with autonomous vehicle technology in emergency situations. Self-driving cars rely on programmed responses and may not always recognize or appropriately react to dynamic emergency scenarios that require human judgment.

Waymo operates one of the most advanced commercial robotaxi services, with vehicles regularly navigating public roads in several cities. The company's vehicles are designed to handle various traffic situations autonomously, but these incidents demonstrate limitations when emergency response is required.

The need for first responder intervention raises questions about protocols for handling autonomous vehicles during emergencies and whether additional safeguards or communication systems are needed between self-driving cars and emergency personnel.