Waymo Robotaxis Halted in San Francisco Blackout
▼ Summary
– Waymo suspended its robotaxi service in San Francisco due to a widespread power outage that left many of its vehicles stalled on city streets.
– The outage, caused by a fire at a PG&E substation, affected approximately 120,000 customers and disabled traffic lights and mass transit.
– Social media posts showed the stalled robotaxis, but Waymo did not provide a specific explanation for why the blackout immobilized its fleet.
– Possible reasons for the vehicles’ failure include disabled traffic lights or interruptions in cell service and traffic data.
– Despite the incident, a recent leaked letter indicated Waymo is now providing 450,000 robotaxi rides per week, nearly double its spring figures.
A significant power outage in San Francisco over the weekend forced Waymo to halt its autonomous ride-hailing operations, leaving a number of its distinctive vehicles immobilized on city streets. The service suspension highlights a critical vulnerability for robotaxi networks that rely on stable infrastructure and continuous data connectivity. Social media was quickly filled with images and videos showing the driverless cars stopped at intersections, creating obstacles for other traffic as human drivers navigated around them.
Waymo confirmed the temporary shutdown of its San Francisco Bay Area services. Company spokesperson Suzanne Philion stated that the decision was a direct response to the widespread power failure. She emphasized that teams are working closely with municipal authorities to assess the stability of local infrastructure, with the goal of restoring service as soon as possible. The company thanked customers for their patience and promised to share further updates in a timely manner.
While Waymo did not specify the exact technical reason for the vehicles’ inability to operate, the blackout’s effects provide strong clues. The outage disabled a vast number of the city’s traffic signals, creating unpredictable and potentially hazardous driving conditions. Furthermore, disruptions to cellular networks or real-time traffic data feeds, which are essential for autonomous navigation systems, could have also played a role. San Francisco’s mayor had advised residents to avoid unnecessary travel due to the failure of both traffic lights and the Muni public transit system.
The root cause of the blackout was traced to a fire at a Pacific Gas & Electric substation. Initial reports indicated approximately 120,000 utility customers lost power. Although service was restored for most by late Saturday, tens of thousands remained without electricity into Sunday morning, according to PG&E’s own outage maps and reports.
This incident occurs as Waymo is reportedly scaling its operations substantially. A recently leaked letter from an investment firm suggested the company is now providing around 450,000 robotaxi rides weekly, a figure that would represent nearly a doubling of its volume since earlier this year. The weekend’s events serve as a real-world test of how such rapidly expanding autonomous services handle major urban infrastructure failures.
(Source: TechCrunch)
