Waymo Resumes Robotaxi Service in San Francisco After Hour-Long Outage
Photo: TechCrunch
Quick answer
Waymo suspended its autonomous taxi service in San Francisco for an hour due to a power outage affecting part of the city.
Waymo, a developer of autonomous vehicles, resumed its robotaxi service in San Francisco after a one-hour pause. The temporary shutdown was caused by a widespread power outage affecting approximately 7,000 customers of utility company PG&E.
Waymo representatives stated that the service was suspended to evaluate the situation and coordinate with city officials. Users received notifications about unavailable routes, particularly those on highways. The company emphasized that passenger safety and operational stability remain top priorities.
Similar incidents have occurred before: in December of last year, several Waymo vehicles stopped on city streets during a blackout, and in July, service was disrupted during fireworks on the Golden Gate Bridge. These events drew criticism from local authorities, who are pushing for stricter regulations on autonomous transport during emergencies.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has previously advocated for stricter state regulations to clearly outline the actions of autonomous vehicles during major incidents, whether planned events or sudden power outages.
Common questions
- Why did Waymo pause its service in San Francisco?
- The service was halted due to a major power outage that could impact the safety of autonomous vehicles. Waymo assessed the situation and coordinated with local authorities before resuming operations.
- How often do power outages affect Waymo's operations?
- Such incidents have occurred before: in December, Waymo vehicles stopped on city streets during a blackout, and in July, service was disrupted during fireworks on the Golden Gate Bridge.
- What measures are authorities proposing to regulate autonomous transport?
- San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has urged stricter state regulations to clearly define the operation of autonomous vehicles during emergencies, including both planned and unplanned incidents.
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