Stalled Waymo cars involved in July 4 gridlock, company confirms
An hours-long traffic jam in San Francisco on Saturday July 4 was partly the result of stalled Waymo vehicles, the autonomous car company has confirmed.
Alleged videos of the gridlock surfaced on X, where drivers posted angrily about Waymo cars that wouldn't move.
A Waymo spokesperson confirmed to Mashable that the city's 4th of July celebration at the Golden Gate Bridge led to traffic disruptions, a high volume of travelers, and unexpected road closures nearby.
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While some of the autonomous vehicles remained operational, others ran out of charge while idling and were towed as a result.
"Our priority is keeping San Francisco moving safely, especially during major city celebrations," the Waymo spokesperson said in a statement. "Our team is always evaluating ways to strengthen Waymo's resilience in major traffic disruptions."
This isn't the first time that stalled Waymo cars have caused traffic jams in the city by the Bay.
Last December, a power outage gave San Francisco Waymo vehicles trouble at intersections without functioning stoplights, and the company had to temporarily suspend its service.
Ironically, two days before the 4th of July gridlock, Waymo posted a video on X about the simplicity of hailing one of its cars.
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"Because after a night out, getting home should be the easiest part," the video's caption reads.
Topics Self-Driving Cars Social Good
Rebecca Ruiz is a Senior Reporter at Mashable. She frequently covers mental health, digital culture, and technology. Her areas of expertise include suicide prevention, screen use and mental health, parenting, youth well-being, and meditation and mindfulness. Rebecca's experience prior to Mashable includes working as a staff writer, reporter, and editor at NBC News Digital and as a staff writer at Forbes. Rebecca has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and a masters degree from U.C. Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism.
