A significant power outage that struck San Francisco on Saturday disrupted city life and led to an unusual traffic problem involving autonomous vehicles from Waymo, Alphabet’s self‑driving taxi service.
The widespread blackout, caused by a fire at a Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) substation near 8th and Mission Streets, left roughly 30 % of the city without electricity, affecting around 130,000 customers and knocking out traffic signals across many neighbourhoods.
Waymo self-driving cars stalled in traffic jams
The outage, which began in the morning and continued into the evening, hit areas including Richmond, Sunset, Haight‑Ashbury, Pacific Heights, and the Presidio, cutting power to stoplights and public transit systems.
Amid the darkness, Bay Area residents posted videos showing Waymo’s autonomous cars stalled in intersections with their hazard lights on, contributing to traffic congestion and jams across parts of the city. At least one passenger was reportedly left stranded inside a Waymo vehicle during the outage, according to SF Gate.
In response to the blackout and the issues it caused for its fleet, Waymo temporarily suspended its robotaxi service in San Francisco. A company spokesperson said the pause was necessary to “keep our riders safe and ensure emergency personnel have the clear access they need to do their work.” The suspension took effect as many of the autonomous vehicles struggled to navigate intersections with non‑functioning traffic lights, a key part of the city’s road infrastructure.
‘Stay off the roads’
Officials also highlighted the broader impact of the outage. City leaders urged residents to stay off the roads, stay home, and exercise caution, as inoperative traffic lights continued to complicate travel. Law enforcement officers were dispatched to major intersections to help direct traffic manually, according to San Francisco Standard.
While PG&E crews worked to restore power through the evening, only a portion of customers had regained electricity by late night, with thousands still affected. The utility projected that full restoration would likely take longer, though an exact timeline was not immediately clear.
