If driverless cars are the future, we might see way more of this ... a Waymo took a left turn smack dab into the middle of a police standoff ... and it's all on video.

Viral video spreading on social media shows one of the driverless ride service vehicles taking a left turn in downtown Los Angeles ... cruising right into the middle of some crossfire.

Problem is ... the Waymo goes right past a man who is on the ground face down next to a truck ... as LAPD cars and officers line up behind him and shout commands.

Adding dramatic effect ... a LAPD helicopter is heard circling overhead ... and folks taking the video chuckle at the bumbling Waymo driving into the eye of the storm.

A rep for Waymo tells TMZ ... the vehicle cleared the scene in a matter of seconds -- and the passengers inside

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