Baby delivered in Waymo continues proud tradition of not making it to the hospital

A pregnant woman in San Francisco gave birth inside a Waymo robotaxi while en route to UCSF Medical Center, continuing a long-standing tradition of babies arriving before reaching the hospital during rides. Waymo’s remote monitoring team detected unusual activity and called 911, but the autonomous vehicle still arrived at the hospital ahead of emergency services. This incident highlights how the phenomenon of in-transit births, previously seen in traditional taxis and ride-shares worldwide, now extends into the era of driverless cars. Waymo confirmed this was not their first such event, noting a prior birth occurred in one of their vehicles in Phoenix. The company described these occurrences as very rare but joked that some newborns simply can’t wait to take their first ride in a Waymo. Following the San Francisco birth, the vehicle was promptly removed for cleaning. This milestone underscores both the unpredictability of childbirth and the evolving role of autonomous vehicles in everyday life.