Waymo Robotaxis Face New Scrutiny After Fourth of July Incidents

Waymo is once again under scrutiny after several incidents involving its self-driving vehicles during Fourth of July celebrations in San Francisco.

One passenger captured video after the Waymo robotaxi she was riding in drove directly over illegal fireworks that had been placed in the street. Although no one was injured, the passenger said the vehicle did not appear to slow down or react before driving over the explosives, leaving her concerned about the safety of the autonomous technology.

Elsewhere in the city, multiple Waymo vehicles became trapped in severe traffic following the city's fireworks show. Witnesses reported that some passengers exited their vehicles while others watched as several robotaxis sat motionless for hours. Some of the vehicles eventually had to be towed away.

Waymo said extreme traffic congestion disrupted normal operations and caused some vehicles to run out of battery power while idling. The company also confirmed that a separate, unoccupied Waymo drove over a firework and caught fire during the evening.

The incidents add to a growing list of high-profile Waymo mishaps, including a vehicle that recently drove into floodwaters in Atlanta and another that entered an active police scene in Los Angeles last year.

Waymo says it is reviewing each of the Fourth of July incidents and remains committed to improving the safety and performance of its autonomous driving technology.

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