Waymo Robotaxi Drives Off with Suitcase at San José Airport

A passenger’s first Waymo ride ended badly at San José Mineta International Airport when his suitcase remained in the trunk and the robotaxi drove away, exposing gaps in driverless taxi reliability and Waymo’s lost-baggage policies.

Di Jin said his trip from Sunnyvale to San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) was routine until he tried to retrieve a suitcase at curbside. Jin told reporters that after exiting the vehicle he pressed the trunk release but “the trunk would not open”, and the robotaxi then drove away with the bag still inside.

Jin immediately contacted Waymo support and was told the vehicle was already en route to a depot and could not be redirected. Waymo later emailed to confirm the suitcase had been secured at a company depot. According to reporting, Waymo initially offered two free rides so Jin could retrieve the bag or to ship it but would not cover shipping costs; after Jin pushed back, the company agreed to pay shipping.

Waymo’s instructions explain trunks can be opened via a physical button above the license plate or via an in-app “Open trunk” control, and that trunks may not release if a rider exits before the vehicle has fully pulled over and the trip has ended. Those points help explain how an item might be left behind, but they do not resolve expectations at busy transfer points like airports where passengers expect greater protection.

Waymo’s lost-and-found guidance warns it cannot guarantee items will be found, delivered immediately, or returned undamaged, and states it is not responsible for items left behind after a trip ends. Critics say that in a driverless environment the company should accept clearer responsibility for mechanical or software errors that strand passengers and their belongings.

As autonomous services expand into regulated settings such as airports, operators highlight curbside precision in promotional content. Waymo has promoted airport service as part of growth plans and other companies have posted videos showing airport runs. Still, without a human driver present, failures to assist with luggage can be especially consequential.

Examples of related content include Waymo’s airport operations and other public demonstrations of robotaxi curbside work.

Autonomous services operate under a patchwork of state and local rules. California has been active in authorizing and regulating testing and limited commercial services. Regulators and consumer advocates monitor how companies address incidents involving property loss and passenger inconvenience. To date, reporting treats this event as isolated; no recall or ban has followed.

Airport rides are high-stakes for business travelers who carry documents, chargers, and spare clothes. When an automated system appears to shift the burden onto the consumer — for instance by asking a customer to retrieve luggage from a depot or to pay shipping after an apparent service failure — public expectations about accountability are strained.

Economic, political, and social effects flow from how reliably robotaxi services perform at airports. Incidents of lost luggage could increase friction for travelers and prompt calls for clearer consumer protections and guaranteed remedies for property loss tied to autonomous services. Such stories may slow adoption among constituencies that value face-to-face service and clear accountability.

Preserved facts and source URLs above as reported in public coverage.