Waymo says San Francisco service has resumed after one-hour pause
News Source
β’Sat, 18 Jul 2026 19:30:23 +0000
π° What Happened
Waymo paused its robotaxi service in San Francisco for about one hour on Friday after a power outage affected roughly 7,000 PG&E customers in the city. The company told customers that service was 'temporarily paused' and freeway routes were unavailable. A Waymo spokesperson said they made temporary adjustments to assess the scale of the outage and coordinate with local officials.
Service has since resumed. This is not the first time a power outage has caused problems for Waymo. In December, several Waymo vehicles stalled on city streets during a blackout. Another incident paralyzed traffic during a Golden Gate Bridge fireworks show on the Fourth of July. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has called for tougher state rules on how autonomous vehicles handle emergencies.
π The Backstory
Waymo is owned by Google parent company Alphabet and is the leader in autonomous ride-hailing in the US. It operates in several cities including San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. But the company has faced repeated questions about how its vehicles handle unusual situations like power outages, bad weather, and emergency vehicles.
Self-driving cars rely on constant connectivity to operate. When the power goes out, traffic lights stop working, and the cars must figure out how to navigate without them. Critics say this shows the technology is not ready for widespread use. Waymo argues that one-hour pauses are a responsible safety measure. The debate over autonomous vehicle regulation is heating up as more cities allow robotaxis on their streets.
π― Why It Matters
If robotaxis can't handle a simple power outage, they may not be ready for everyday use. This affects anyone who might ride in a self-driving car or share the road with one.
Waymo paused its robotaxi service in San Francisco for about one hour on Friday after a power outage affected roughly 7,000 PG&E customers in the city. The company told customers that service was 'temporarily paused' and freeway routes were unavailable. A Waymo spokesperson said they made temporary adjustments to assess the scale of the outage and coordinate with local officials.
Service has since resumed. This is not the first time a power outage has caused problems for Waymo. In December, several Waymo vehicles stalled on city streets during a blackout. Another incident paralyzed traffic during a Golden Gate Bridge fireworks show on the Fourth of July. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has called for tougher state rules on how autonomous vehicles handle emergencies.
Waymo is owned by Google parent company Alphabet and is the leader in autonomous ride-hailing in the US. It operates in several cities including San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. But the company has faced repeated questions about how its vehicles handle unusual situations like power outages, bad weather, and emergency vehicles.
Self-driving cars rely on constant connectivity to operate. When the power goes out, traffic lights stop working, and the cars must figure out how to navigate without them. Critics say this shows the technology is not ready for widespread use. Waymo argues that one-hour pauses are a responsible safety measure. The debate over autonomous vehicle regulation is heating up as more cities allow robotaxis on their streets.
If robotaxis can't handle a simple power outage, they may not be ready for everyday use. This affects anyone who might ride in a self-driving car or share the road with one.