Waymo Explains Why Its Robotaxis Got Stuck During The SF Blackout

Waymo Explains Why Its Robotaxis Got Stuck During The SF Blackout

Waymo Robotaxis Stuck in SF Blackout: Here’s Why When a major power outage plunged parts of San Francisco into darkness this past Saturday, dozens of Waymo robotaxis froze at intersections—sparking viral videos and fresh scrutiny of autonomous driving tech. Why did this happen? According to Waymo, its self-driving software treated dead traffic lights as four-way stops, as human drivers should. But instead of proceeding confidently, many vehicles paused and requested human verification—overwhelming the support team and causing gridlock. Now, the company is rolling out a fleet-wide software update to ensure smoother navigation during future blackouts. Credit: Waymo The Blackout That Tested Autonomous Limits On December 20, 2025, a widespread electrical failure left traffic signals dark across several San Francisco neighborhoods. For human drivers, the rule is clear: treat unlit signals as four-way stops. Waymo’s autonomous system is programmed with the same logic. Yet, rather than applying …