Waymo has temporarily halted its robotaxi services in San Francisco following a major power outage that left many of its autonomous vehicles immobilized on city streets. This disruption occurred on Saturday evening and was captured in multiple social media posts, showcasing Waymo’s vehicles stalled at intersections as human drivers navigated around them.
Philion, a spokesperson for Waymo, confirmed the suspension of ride-hailing services in the San Francisco Bay Area due to the blackout, stating, “Our teams are working diligently and in close coordination with city officials to monitor infrastructure stability. We hope to resume services soon and appreciate your patience while we manage this situation.”
The outage, reportedly triggered by a fire at a Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) substation, impacted around 120,000 customers. While most had their power restored by late Saturday, approximately 35,000 residents were still in the dark on Sunday morning. The blackout also disrupted the city’s traffic lights and public transit systems, prompting San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie to advise residents to avoid driving unless necessary.
While Waymo has not detailed the reasons for its vehicles’ unexpected behavior during the outage, it’s speculated that the failure of traffic signals and potential interruptions in cellular service and traffic data may have contributed. Prior to this incident, a leaked report indicated that Waymo was providing an increasing number of rides per week, approximately 450,000, highlighting the company’s expanding footprint in autonomous transportation.
As Waymo navigates the challenges posed by the outage, updates regarding the restoration of its services are expected to follow.
