Waymo scrutinized after self-driving taxis cause traffic jams during SF blackout

"A power outage across San Francisco over the weekend forced numerous Waymo self-driving taxis to stop at darkened intersections and cause traffic blockages in multiple locations across the city. The disruption left riders stranded, frustrated drivers blocked, and city officials stepping in as the Alphabet-owned company temporarily suspended service amid the widespread gridlock. Needless to say, it would likely have been a doomsday scenario for Tesla had FSD behaved in a similar way, especially if fleets of its robotaxis blocked traffic for numerous drivers."

"The outage knocked out electricity for tens of thousands of customers, leaving traffic signals dark across large parts of the city, as noted in a report from the New York Times. Waymo vehicles began stopping at intersections and remained stationary for extended periods, seemingly unable to operate. Tow truck operators worked through the night removing immobilized vehicles, while videos circulated online showing Waymos with hazard lights flashing as traffic backed up around them."

"Waymo later confirmed that it had paused its Bay Area ride-hailing service after the San Francisco mayor's office contacted the company about the congestion its vehicles were contributing to. Service began coming back online shortly after 3:30 p.m. local time, though some users still reported being unable to request rides. Waymo maintained that no injuries or accidents were reported during the outage."

A widespread power outage in San Francisco knocked out electricity for tens of thousands, leaving traffic signals dark across large parts of the city. Numerous Waymo self-driving taxis stopped at darkened intersections and remained stationary for extended periods, creating traffic blockages, stranded riders, and frustrated drivers. Tow truck operators removed immobilized vehicles overnight as videos showed Waymos with hazard lights amid backed-up traffic. Waymo paused its Bay Area ride-hailing service after the mayor's office contacted the company about congestion; service began returning shortly after 3:30 p.m. and no injuries or accidents were reported. Observers warned that a similar failure by Tesla's FSD could have been far worse.

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