Driverless cars roam the city in GTA V for the first time as Rockstar mimics Waymo

Blink and you’ll miss it, but GTA V has quietly entered the future, with driverless cars cruising the streets as Rockstar takes clear inspiration from Waymo.

Los Santos has always been chaotic, but this time the madness doesn’t come from the drivers.

In a game famous for high-speed chases and vehicular mayhem, the idea of cars driving themselves feels oddly… believable.

Welcome to the strangest crossover yet: autonomous tech meets open-world crime.

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These are the only cars you can’t steal in GTA V

For the first time since the game launched back in 2013, players are spotting vehicles navigating the city with no visible driver behind the wheel.

These cars obey traffic lights, stop for pedestrians, and calmly roll through intersections, right up until a player inevitably launches a rocket at them.

Now, Rockstar hasn’t officially announced the change.

However, fans quickly connected the dots, noting the similarities to real-world autonomous fleets like Waymo that already operate in more than a dozen US cities.

Of course, this being Los Santos, things don’t always go smoothly.

Players report that autonomous cars are sometimes too polite for their own good, stopping abruptly or getting confused during chaotic traffic pileups.

One particular car just can’t resist driving straight into a tree.

Others have experimented with blocking roads or provoking the vehicles just to see how the AI reacts.

And in case you’re wondering, no, you can’t steal these driverless cars, unlike virtually every type of vehicle in the game.

Something fun while waiting for GTA 6

The comparison to Waymo goes beyond aesthetics.

Just like real-world robotaxis, these vehicles seem designed to prioritize safety and predictability, even in an environment where explosions are a daily occurrence.

That contrast is part of what makes the feature so entertaining.

Watching a perfectly law-abiding driverless car attempt to coexist with GTA’s trademark insanity is comedy gold.

And in case you’re wondering, no, you can’t steal these driverless cars, unlike virtually every type of vehicle in the game.

While GTA 6 has been delayed yet again, at least fans of the gaming franchise will have something to occupy themselves with while they’re waiting.

After all, Waymo rides are already a must-do attraction in real life, so it’s only fitting that their online counterparts will be getting some attention as well.