As rolling power outages hit San Francisco on Saturday, several driverless Waymo cars appeared stalled in traffic across the city, according to videos posted online. The incidents, which seemed to occur in different neighborhoods, raised fresh questions about how autonomous vehicles handle sudden citywide disruptions and who is responsible for clearing stalled cars when there is no human behind the wheel.
The timing and locations of the stoppages were not immediately verified by officials. No injuries were reported in the posts that circulated. The company did not immediately comment publicly about the videos or the impact of the outages on its fleet.
“As power outages spread Saturday, videos shared on social media appeared to show multiple Waymo vehicles stalled in traffic in different parts of San Francisco.”
What Happened
Shortly after power failures began, clips on social platforms showed driverless cars stopped in lanes and at intersections. In some cases, traffic appeared to form behind the vehicles. It was not clear whether the cars attempted to pull to the curb or wait for remote support.
Waymo vehicles use onboard sensors—lidar, radar, and cameras—to drive without a human. They also rely on high-definition maps and data connections to receive updates and support when needed. A wide-area outage can disrupt streetlights, cell service, and communications that help operations, even if the vehicles’ core driving systems remain powered.
How Outages Can Affect Driverless Cars
Power failures create unusual road conditions. Dark traffic lights act as four-way stops. Cell networks may slow or drop. Emergency calls spike. Human drivers adapt with police guidance and hand signals; driverless systems must interpret those cues without direct human control.
Autonomous fleets usually have remote assistance teams who can advise vehicles when the route is blocked or conditions change. If connectivity is unstable, that support can be delayed. In most designs, the vehicle is supposed to stop safely and wait for clear instructions.
- Dark intersections and downed signals force extra caution.
- Connectivity issues can slow remote assistance.
- Broken or flickering streetlights can confuse both humans and machines.
Background on Waymo in San Francisco
Waymo runs a paid driverless service in parts of San Francisco, alongside operations in Phoenix and Los Angeles. California regulators allowed expanded service in 2023 after years of supervised testing. The company publishes safety reports and says its systems aim to reduce crashes caused by human error.
San Francisco has been a proving ground and a pressure point. Residents and city officials have criticized autonomous cars for blocking fire stations, pausing in construction zones, and hesitating near emergency scenes. Supporters argue that the technology improves over time, learning from edge cases and rare events. Saturday’s outages add another test of reliability during citywide stress.
What We Know—and What We Don’t
Based on the videos, more than one Waymo car appeared stopped in traffic as the outages spread. The exact number, durations, and locations were not confirmed. It is unknown whether the cars were programmed to halt and await help, or whether they lost essential connectivity.
There were no confirmed crashes or injuries tied to the stoppages in the posts viewed by this newsroom. City authorities had not issued a formal report by press time.
Implications for City Services and Safety
Stalled vehicles—human-driven or not—can block lanes that emergency crews need during outages. If driverless cars stop and cannot easily pull over, traffic can back up quickly. Transportation planners will likely review how autonomous fleets respond when signals go dark and communications are limited.
Policy options that may surface include clearer rules for vehicle behavior during outages, faster coordination with 911 centers, and designated safe pull-over protocols. Companies may also need contingency plans to temporarily reduce service when the grid is unstable.
What to Watch Next
Waymo is expected to review the incidents and share findings. Regulators may ask for logs showing why the vehicles stopped and how fast support arrived. City departments could push for drills that simulate blackouts with autonomous fleets in the loop.
Key questions include: How do driverless cars prioritize pulling to the curb during outages? What backup communications are in place if networks fail? And how will companies and agencies coordinate when multiple vehicles need help at once?
The weekend outages will likely feed a broader debate over how automated systems perform under stress. The core challenge is clear: Cities need reliable mobility during emergencies, and driverless fleets must prove they can keep roads safe when the lights go out.
