Cops investigating after woman finds man 'trapped' in trunk of her Waymo cab in bizarre viral video

Getting around in 2025 is arguably easier than ever, and while we're not quite zooming around in flying cars like Blade Runner predicted we would be in 2019, there have been some impressive evolutions in the automotive industry.

Notably, the idea of ride-hailing services has taken off since Uber (then called Ubercab) was founded in 2009.

There's been plenty of competition come and go over the years, with the likes of Bolt and Lyst muscling into the market.

As things have continued to advance, there's also been a recent boom in self-driving 'robotaxi' services.

Even though Elon Musk was sued over Tesla's long-gestated robotaxi rollout, it has joined Waymo as a frontrunner in the market.

Others like Uber have dabbled in the idea of autonomous taxis, but after a pedestrian was killed during its testing phase, the idea was placed on indefinite hold in 2018.

It now has a partnership where Uber users can hail a Waymo.

As we've seen from Tesla's teething problems, the idea of putting our lives in the hands of robot cars is one that comes with plenty of questions – especially after one Waymo was pulled over for 'drunk driving'.

Another bizarre Waymo story has grabbed headlines, after one rider was shocked to find a man trapped in the trunk of the car she ordered. A viral TikTok video showed a shocked woman finding a man in the back of her ride, shouting: "Why the f**k are you in the trunk?!”

The driverless car pulls up, and she's forced to drag her daughter back when the man is spotted behind the seat and trapped in the trunk area. The mother continues recording while also dialling 911.

As for the man, he's seen punching the headrest and replies: "This sh*t won’t let me out…They put me in here...The people. The people.”

A subsequent video features the woman chatting with a Waymo representative while the mystery man is apprehended by two police officers.

In a follow-up reported by CBS News, Los Angeles police are now investigating the situation.

Waymo maintains that it's committed to keeping riders safe and wants to keep earning the community's trust, despite this 'unacceptable' incident.

It told the outlet that it checked in on the woman following the altercation, and continues to strive for a safe and inclusive experience for all.

Although Waymo reiterates that there are tools already in place to deal with situations like the above, it's working to actively improve them: "We're committed to keeping our riders safe and earning the trust of the communities where we operate. This experience was unacceptable, and we are actively implementing changes to address this."

The LAPD didn't reveal how the man got inside the driverless car, whether he'd stayed after a previous trip, or whether he's since been arrested.

Detectives are said to be looking into the footage and working closely with Waymo at a time when it's trying to expand its driverless service across Los Angeles.

Waymo reminds passengers to check arriving vehicles before entering, and to immediately call 911 if something seems amiss.