Waymo Vehicles Stalled in San Francisco Traffic on Fourth of July

Several Waymo vehicles required towing after their batteries died in heavy San Francisco traffic during Fourth of July celebrations. Video footage confirmed by NBC News depicted at least a dozen stationary Waymo vehicles, mostly Jaguar I-PACE models, lined up on a street after the city-sponsored fireworks from the Golden Gate Bridge. Additional footage showed vehicles gridlocked at an intersection crowded with people, with one vehicle on a flatbed truck.

Waymo attributed the congestion to major traffic disruptions, a large number of travelers, and unexpected road closures following the celebrations. A company spokesperson mentioned that Waymo’s roadside assistance team addressed the issue and stated that the company is exploring ways to enhance their resilience during significant traffic disruptions.

Rose Peterson, a passenger in a Waymo vehicle, described her experience leaving the area. “We were pulling up to a four-way stop, and this guy was shooting off a firework in the road, then our Waymo starts driving,” she said, noting that everyone in the vehicle remained unharmed.

Dave Guingona recounted spending almost two hours in a traffic jam until several Waymo vehicles were cleared. “People were getting out of their cars, yelling at these Waymos because there were no drivers,” he explained.

Waymo reported that one of their vehicles caught fire after driving over fireworks, though no injuries were reported. This follows a previous incident in December when Waymo halted service in San Francisco due to a power outage that affected over 100,000 customers and led to traffic light failures, causing their vehicles to stall at intersections.

Mayor Daniel Lurie, a proponent of autonomous vehicles, had labeled them as “safe and sustainable.” On the night of the incident, he advised motorists about the traffic situation, remarking, “Fog and fireworks, we did it the San Francisco way. It’s going to take time for these streets to clear.”

The city’s Department of Emergency Management also alerted residents about heavy traffic and crowded transit post-fireworks, advising them to delay their departure if possible.

Lurie’s press secretary, Charles Lutvak, affirmed that discussions with stakeholders will occur to address the traffic from that night. “We understand that with more than 100,000 people in the area, some experienced delays getting home. We will engage with our public and private partners to improve the experience in the future,” Lutvak commented.