Waymo explains why its robotaxis got stuck during the SF blackout

Waymo Improves Robotaxis’ Ability to Navigate Disabled Traffic Lights During Power Outages

Waymo announced that it is rolling out a software update to enhance its robotaxis’ capability to navigate disabled traffic lights during power outages more effectively. The company addressed the issue after its self-driving vehicles encountered difficulties at intersections in San Francisco over the weekend due to a blackout.

According to Waymo, its self-driving system treats non-functional traffic lights as four-way stops, a standard procedure for human drivers. However, during the recent outage, many robotaxis sought confirmation from Waymo’s fleet response team before proceeding, leading to congestion at intersections. Waymo explained that this confirmation request system was initially implemented as a precaution during early deployment but is now being refined to align with the current operational scale.

The forthcoming software update will provide the self-driving software with specific power outage context, enabling the vehicles to navigate confidently. Additionally, Waymo plans to incorporate more information about regional outages and enhance emergency response protocols based on the lessons learned from the recent incident.

Despite the challenges faced during the power outage, Waymo highlighted that its vehicles successfully navigated over 7,000 dark signals on Saturday. The company acknowledged the unique difficulties posed by such a widespread event for autonomous technology.

While the focus has been on the incidents where robotaxis encountered issues during the outage, Waymo emphasized that it continues to address unforeseen issues to ensure the reliability of its self-driving fleet. Previously, the company had to issue multiple software updates to address issues such as waiting for stopped school buses, which resulted in regulatory scrutiny and a recall.