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.”

The man nearly missed his flight after the self-driving car drove him around and around, all while he was on the phone with a customer service rep who was unable to stop the wayward vehicle.

Mike Johns was heading back home to LA from Scottsdale, Arizona in December, traveling to the airport in one of Waymo's autonomous vehicles.

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 man had the misfortune of becoming trapped inside a driverless Waymo taxi, which drove around a Scottsdale, Arizona, parking lot in circles instead of getting him to the airport for his imminent flight.

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.

A Los Angeles man reportedly almost missed his flight after Google's self-driving car, known as Waymo, would not stop driving in circles around the airport parking lot.