By law, autonomous vehicles aren’t allowed to carry unaccompanied minors in California. But some time-strapped parents have found a loophole by using their own accounts to transport their children. Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving-car company, has now tightened its policies to prevent this practice.

Waymo spokesperson Chris Bonelli confirmed that the company is working on age-verification checks and stated: “We are continuing to refine our system and processes for accuracy over time.” Violating their terms of service can lead to temporary or permanent suspension of an account. The company uses cameras inside its cars to ensure riders aren't breaking any rules, recording video during trips.

However, the crackdown has caught some adults in the crossfire. Nicholas Fleischhauer, a 35-year-old San Francisco machine learning engineer, was flagged by Waymo’s system and had to verify his age mid-ride. Ethan S. Klein, a 23-year-old from Los Angeles, also faced an unexpected verification call during his 26th ride.

Waymo has allowed parents in the Phoenix area to set up teen accounts for riders aged 14 to 17 since last summer. This service allows adults to track their real-time locations and offers a specially trained support team to handle any issues that may arise. Across its other US markets, adults can ride with guests under 18, provided children under 8 are in secured seats.

The issue of unaccompanied minors in autonomous vehicles highlights the ongoing challenges of integrating technology into our daily lives. While it may provide convenience for some, it also raises questions about safety and ethics.