Waymo halts service during massive S.F. blackout after causing traffic jams

Waymo said Saturday that it was stopping service across San Francisco after numerous online videos showed its autonomous vehicles snarling traffic during the citywide blackout.

“We have temporarily suspended our ride-hailing services given the broad power outage in San Francisco,” wrote Suzanne Philion, a company spokesperson, a little after 7 p.m. “We are focused on keeping our riders safe and ensuring emergency personnel have the clear access they need to do their work.”

About a third of San Francisco lost electricity throughout the day Saturday after rolling Pacific Gas & Electric Co. blackouts hit some 125,000 homes and businesses. PG&E said at 8:30 p.m. that power should start to be restored “later this evening.”

Traffic lights across the city were down, seemingly confusing the driverless cars — and halting them in their tracks. Riders and pedestrians posted videos of Waymos stuck at intersections, long lines of drivers behind them.

Many of the videos and images showed Waymos lined up one behind the other, with human drivers passing them by.

Groups of two, three, as many as five Waymos were stalled at different corners across the city, blinking red lights in the rain.

San Francisco, CA (DEC.20.2025)It’s official. This is the 1,000th posted video from the Sunset Project™️. Just over 20m views on X to date.

This afternoon’s flurry of frozen Waymo’s across the city of San Francisco causing a historic traffic meltdown has brought about the… https://t.co/DLrvTVLKQD pic.twitter.com/SHxvg2yLQ2