Waymo shut down service during San Francisco's blackout because its driverless taxis got confused
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- A power outage hit San Francisco on Saturday.
- A Waymo spokesperson said the company suspended its ride-hailing services as a result.
- Videos on social media show stalled Waymo vehicles blocking traffic.
When a power outage hit San Francisco on Saturday, local drivers had to navigate more than just darkened roads and inactive stoplights.
Footage shared on social media shows some Waymo robotaxis stalled in traffic, clogging roadways and causing disruptions. One video on X showed at least five Waymos crowding an intersection, forcing human drivers to maneuver around them.
A Waymo spokesperson told Business Insider that the company has suspended its services in the area because of the power outage.
"Our teams are working diligently and in close coordination with city officials, and we are hopeful to bring our services back online soon. We appreciate your patience and will provide further updates as soon as they are available," the spokesperson said.
The power outage affected about 130,000 Pacific Gas & Electric customers on Saturday. In an X post on Sunday, the company said a fire caused "significant and extensive" damage to its substation. The company said crews are working to restore power for 21,000 San Francisco residents.
On X, Tesla CEO Elon Musk used the incident to promote his company's own robotaxis. "Tesla Robotaxis were unaffected by the SF power outage," he wrote.
Tesla and Waymo are direct competitors in the autonomous ride-hailing market, but are relying on different technologies to get them there.
Tesla robotaxis use cameras and AI to find their way around. Waymo uses a suite of light sensors, radar, cameras, and detailed maps that are uploaded and regularly updated. That means sudden changes to the areas where a Waymo robotaxi operates could impact its ability to navigate.
Waymo, owned by Alphabet Inc., debuted its autonomous ride-hailing service to the public in 2018 in the Phoenix metro area.
The company has expanded its services to other cities, including Austin and Atlanta, through a partnership with Uber, but it hasn't all been smooth sailing.
In May, Waymo recalled the software for more than 1,200 cars after some collided with "chains or gates." More recently, a Waymo vehicle hit and killed a beloved bodega cat in San Francisco, sparking outrage from residents.