Passenger Trapped in Self-Driving Car During Anti-Robot Attack

Tech worker Doug Fulop describes harrowing experience as Waymo vehicle was targeted by angry pedestrian in San Francisco

Mar. 22, 2026 at 10:55pm by Ben Kaplan

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A 37-year-old tech worker named Doug Fulop was trapped inside a self-driving Waymo vehicle in San Francisco after a pedestrian confronted the car and its passengers, yelling that he wanted to kill them for "giving money to a robot." The attacker tried to break the car's windows, but Fulop and the other passengers were unable to manually drive the car away or exit the vehicle due to Waymo's safety protocols. The attack lasted around six minutes before the attacker moved away and the car was able to drive off.

Why it matters

This incident highlights growing tensions between some members of the public and the increasing presence of autonomous vehicles in urban areas. While self-driving cars are designed with safety features to protect passengers, these features can also leave riders vulnerable if a hostile person targets the vehicle. The case raises questions about the responsibility of self-driving companies to ensure passenger safety in the event of an attack.

The details

According to the report, the pedestrian yelled that "he wanted to kill Fulop and the other two passengers for giving money to a robot." The self-driving Waymo vehicle was unable to drive away or allow the passengers to take control, as it is designed to stop moving if a person is nearby. Fulop said the attacker tried to break the car's windows, and that it "did not seem safe to get out and run" since the man was trying to open the locked doors and said he wanted to kill the passengers. Waymo told the passengers they could not manually direct the car away while someone was nearby, and that the passengers would be safe with the doors locked.

  • The incident occurred one night in San Francisco in 2026.

The players

Doug Fulop

A 37-year-old tech worker who was a passenger in the self-driving Waymo vehicle during the attack.

Waymo

An American autonomous driving company and a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company.

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What they’re saying

“If he had kept hammering on one window instead of alternating, I'm sure he would have eventually broken through.”

— Doug Fulop

“As passengers, we deserve more safety than that if someone is trying to attack us. This can't be the policy to be trapped there.”

— Doug Fulop

What’s next

Waymo has stated it is reviewing its safety protocols for passengers in self-driving vehicles in light of this incident.

The takeaway

This attack highlights the potential vulnerabilities passengers face when riding in self-driving cars, and the need for autonomous vehicle companies to prioritize passenger safety and security, especially in the face of hostility from some members of the public.