Waymo Restarts San Francisco Robotaxi Operations After Citywide Blackout
Robotaxi Services Halted Amid Power Outage Chaos
Waymo temporarily shut down its autonomous ride-hailing service in San Francisco on Saturday evening after a large-scale power outage disrupted traffic systems across the city, leaving several of its vehicles unable to proceed.
Images and videos shared widely on social media showed Waymo robotaxis stopped at intersections and along busy roads, forcing human drivers either to wait behind them or maneuver around the stationary vehicles. The incident unfolded as the blackout disabled traffic lights and caused widespread transportation disruption.
Waymo confirmed on Saturday that it had paused service due to the outage. Service was not reinstated until late Sunday afternoon, when a company spokesperson confirmed the resumption in a statement to TechCrunch.
Waymo Responds to Infrastructure Failure
In its official response, Waymo emphasized that the disruption stemmed from broader infrastructure issues rather than a failure of its autonomous technology.
“Yesterday’s power outage was a widespread event that caused gridlock across San Francisco, with non-functioning traffic signals and transit disruptions,” the spokesperson said. “While the failure of the utility infrastructure was significant, we are committed to ensuring our technology adjusts to traffic flow during such events.”
The company also acknowledged the need to improve system responses during large-scale urban disruptions.
The Waymo spokesperson added that the company is “focused on rapidly integrating the lessons learned from this event, and are committed to earning and maintaining the trust of the communities we serve every day.”
Traffic Signals Down, Public Transport Disrupted
The blackout affected more than just autonomous vehicles. Numerous traffic lights across San Francisco were rendered inoperative, and the city’s Muni public transit system also experienced interruptions. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie advised residents to avoid traveling unless absolutely necessary as congestion spread across major routes.
Waymo explained that its autonomous driving system is designed to interpret non-functioning traffic lights as four-way stops. However, the unusually large scale of the outage led some vehicles to remain stationary for extended periods as they attempted to safely evaluate complex intersections. The company noted that the majority of active trips were completed successfully despite the disruption.
Power Outage Traced to PG&E Substation Fire
According to reporting by SFGate, the blackout was likely caused by a fire at a Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) substation. Approximately 120,000 PG&E customers were impacted. While most customers had their power restored by late Saturday, 35,000 customers remained without electricity on Sunday morning. PG&E’s outage map continued to show thousands of affected San Francisco customers at that time.
Waymo’s Rapid Growth Continues Despite Setback
The incident comes as Waymo continues to scale its autonomous ride-hailing operations rapidly. A letter from Tiger Global Management that leaked earlier this month revealed that Waymo is now delivering 450,000 robotaxi rides per week—nearly double the figure disclosed by the Alphabet-owned company earlier this spring.
While the blackout exposed the challenges autonomous vehicles face during rare but extreme infrastructure failures, Waymo’s swift service restoration and expanding usage figures highlight the company’s growing role in the future of urban mobility.
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