Waymo has announced that its robotaxi service is back in operation after implementing “temporary adjustments” in San Francisco due to a power outage, which reportedly impacted around 7,000 PG&E customers in the area.
A social media screenshot shared online indicated that Waymo informed San Francisco customers about a “temporary pause” in service, noting that “freeway routes are unavailable.”
In response to an inquiry from JS, a spokesperson for the Alphabet-owned company stated, “We are making temporary adjustments to our service while we monitor local conditions. We know riders depend on us, and we will return to normal operations as soon as possible.”
After the initial report, a Waymo representative further explained that the company chose to halt service for approximately one hour to evaluate the extent of the power outage affecting a significant portion of San Francisco and to coordinate with local authorities.
Power disruptions have impacted Waymo’s services before, such as when several of its vehicles stalled on city streets during a blackout in December and during a similar incident that caused traffic disruptions during a Golden Gate Bridge fireworks display on the Fourth of July.
In light of these issues, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has advocated for stricter state regulations to ensure autonomous vehicles are managed effectively during major incidents, whether planned or unexpected.
This post has been updated with additional comments from Waymo confirming that service has resumed.
