A Los Angeles tech entrepreneur found himself trapped in a self-driving taxi last month on his way to the airport, with the car repeatedly circling around a parking lot. Mike Johns posted a video on LinkedIn in which he was headed to Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix.

Waymo, which is owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet, told Gizmodo the rider wasn’t charged for his trip and has attempted to contact Johns but they haven’t connected yet. Waymo also emphasizes the circling lasted about five minutes. Johns told ABC15 Arizona that he was frustrated by the experience and “It’s like people are the experiment.”

In December 2024, a Waymo rider reportedly missed his plane after his self-driving rideshare car drove around in circles on his way to the Phoenix airport.

A Los Angeles man said he recently missed his flight home after getting trapped on his way to the airport in a Waymo that wouldn't stop making circles in a parking lot.

Self-driving cars are meant to provide a combination of convenience and innovation, but for one L.A. man trying to get back to the City of Angels, his experience, caught entirely on camera, was nothing but bizarre and frustrating.