San Francisco power outage leaves self-driving Waymo cars stalled in traffic

A widespread power outage in San Francisco left nearly a third of the city without electricity, disrupting public transportation and causing Waymo autonomous taxis stalled in traffic. Waymo had to temporrily suspend its self-driving car service after vehicles after the cars simply stopped moving on streets and in intersections.

Videos posted on social media showed Waymo vehicles sitting idle at intersections across San Francisco, including one stopped in the middle of an intersection and holding up traffic as drivers were forced to maneuver around the driverless cars. The self-driving service is popular in the city, allowing riders to travel without a human driver inside the vehicle.

According to SFGate, a Waymo spokesperson said the company “temporarily” halted operations after vehicles stalled and blocked traffic. They even got in the way of emergency responders.

“We have temporarily suspended our ride-hailing services given the broad power outage in San Francisco. We are focused on keeping our riders safe and ensuring emergency personnel have the clear access they need to do their work,” said spokesperson Suzanne Philion.

Tesla founder Elon Musk stated on X that Tesla Robotaxis were unaffected by the power outage.

The blackout affected roughly 130,000 Pacific Gas & Electric customers during one of the busiest weekends leading up to the holidays, forcing stores and restaurants to close. The Bay Area Rapid Transit system was also disrupted, leaving some travelers unable to return home and requiring them to find alternative transportation.

Neighborhoods impacted by the outage included the Richmond and Sunset districts, Haight-Ashbury, Hayes Valley, Forest Hill, Golden Gate Park, and other areas across the city and downtown area.

“Muni lines and traffic signals are impacted by the power outage. If you don’t need to travel tonight, please stay off the roads and stay inside,” Mayor Daniel Lurie posted Saturday night. “We will be expanding officer presence at intersections and corridors to ensure the safety of those still on the road. We remain in close contact with PG&E as they restore power and will keep everybody posted as work continues.”

According to the Associated Press, fire officials confirmed the outage was caused in part by a fire at a PG&E substation.