Lawless Meets Driverless: Mob Vandalizes and Torches Self-Driving Waymo Taxi in San Francisco

A self-driving taxi operated by Google’s Waymo was attacked and destroyed by an angry mob in San Francisco over the weekend. A furious mob used fireworks to set the vehicle on fire in a furious clash that brought together lawless California and driverless vehicles.

Techspot reports that on Saturday night around 9:00 p.m., a Waymo self-driving Jaguar I-Pace was surrounded and attacked by a crowd while navigating through Chinatown in San Francisco. According to eyewitness reports, the incident started when there was a minor traffic jam and someone jumped on the hood of the stationary robotaxi and smashed the windshield.

This prompted others to join in and vandalize the vehicle using skateboards and other objects to break the windows. The car was then covered in graffiti as fireworks were thrown inside, setting the empty taxi ablaze.

Waymo driverless car in San Francisco (waltarrrrr/Flickr)

Video footage of the incident shows the self-driving Waymo completely engulfed in flames. The motive behind the mob’s behavior remains unknown, though tensions between San Francisco residents and robotaxis have been growing over time. There have been previous incidents of driverless Cruise and Waymo vehicles blocking traffic, crashing, and even running over a dog in the city.

happening NOW in SF. Waymo car vandalized & lit on fire @sfchronicle pic.twitter.com/OEZYFiy6mv

— Michael Vandi (@michael_vandi) February 11, 2024

Residents have started protesting the 24/7 operation and fare charges of autonomous taxis. In October last year, a pedestrian death involving a Cruise robotaxi led to a suspension of the company’s license to operate self-driving vehicles in California. While the weekend attack was the most violent incident so far, it reflects increasing resentment among San Franciscans toward robotaxis operating in the city.

Some of the ill will towards Waymo in particular may be driven by incidents involving its cars since GM’s Cruise pulled its robotaxis out of San Francisco. As Breitbart News recently reported, a Waymo self-driving car was involved in an incident in which it struck a bicyclist:

The Verge reports that a self-driving car built by Google’s Waymo struck and injured a cyclist in San Francisco on the afternoon of Tuesday February 6. The incident occurred at the intersection of 17th and Mississippi Streets in the Potrero Hill neighborhood. According to the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), the autonomous vehicle collided with a person on a bicycle, causing non-life threatening injuries.

The Waymo vehicle was stopped at a four-way stop when a large truck began turning into the intersection, according to a statement from Waymo spokesperson Julia Ilina. The Waymo car waited for its turn and then proceeded into the intersection, failing to identify the cyclist who was traveling behind the truck.

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