Waymo says some of its robotaxis ran out of power during San Francisco's July 4 gridlock and had to be towed

On Independence Day, some of Waymo's robotaxis in San Francisco faced unexpected challenges, showcasing that even advanced technology isn't immune to the complexities of holiday traffic. Footage shared by local residents on social media revealed several Waymo vehicles either stalled, malfunctioning, or being towed during the bustling Fourth of July festivities. One user, Marco Gutierrez, documented the scene, stating, "We're being told it could take 3-4 hours to tow the disabled vehicles before traffic can move again." Other videos captured the gridlocked streets, including a Waymo vehicle that unexpectedly drove through a display of fireworks. In response to the incidents, Waymo spokesperson Chris Bonelli explained to Business Insider that the severe traffic congestion significantly impacted the operations of some of their autonomous vehicles. "In coordination with local authorities and emergency services, our roadside assistance team worked quickly to clear our vehicles from the area," Bonelli noted. The company highlighted that during the Independence Day celebrations, northern San Francisco experienced substantial traffic jams and unplanned road closures following the Golden Gate Bridge fireworks. While some vehicles remained stuck in gridlock, others managed to navigate away once the congestion eased. Unfortunately, a number of vehicles ran out of charge while idling and required towing assistance. Waymo confirmed that its roadside assistance team efficiently managed the towing logistics and that no injuries were reported during the incidents. All the affected vehicles were operating autonomously, leveraging a sophisticated multi-sensor system comprising 29 cameras, five lidars, and six radars to navigate their environment. To date, Waymo has deployed approximately 2,500 robotaxis across various cities in the United States, continually evaluating their systems for resilience against such major traffic disruptions.