San Francisco found itself in a chaotic standstill on Saturday due to a power outage that left approximately 124,000 of its 414,000 customers in the dark. Imagine waking up in a city that suddenly can’t function—traffic lights blink out, elevators stop, and streets become a tangle of unmoving vehicles. Among the chaos, Waymo’s fleet of robotaxis was caught in a surprising snare, their sensors rendered useless, blocking intersections and exacerbating the already thick traffic.
Power outage took out the waymos RIP pic.twitter.com/DPte8oOGku
— Vincent Woo (@fulligin) December 21, 2025
Waymo became part of the storyline as spokesperson Suzanne Philion shared that service was “temporarily suspended” around 7:00 p.m. due to the blackout, emphasizing the company’s commitment to rider safety and clear access for emergency responders. From the outside, it looked like their robotaxi system was overwhelmed by a simple power failure.
6 Waymo’s parked at a broken traffic light blocking the roads. Seems like they were not trained for a power outage pic.twitter.com/9fBkoxgKwe
— Walden (@walden_yan) December 21, 2025
As Sunday morning dawned, there was still no word from Waymo on whether their fleet remained immobilized. With so many questions lingering, Gizmodo reached out for clarity. Were the cars unable to navigate blacked-out stoplights, or was it an issue with data connections? Until then, the extent of the problem was unclear, even raising thoughts of a scene out of science fiction where all robots freeze because of a single breakdown.
Waymo and other companies often tout their tech as the future of safer roadways, citing statistics that suggest a stark reduction in traffic incidents. For instance, they report an 82% decrease in collisions that involved airbags deploying, and a staggering 92% less frequent pedestrian injuries when compared to standard human drivers. But even with such numbers, here’s the reality: robots react in peculiar ways during unforeseen circumstances.
Power out in SF and the @Waymo’s are causing a MASSIVE jam in North Beach pic.twitter.com/fuvhprlyma
— Iago Maciel (@_iagomaciel) December 21, 2025
Dead waymos all over SF blocking roads due to power outage pic.twitter.com/CAsSxFroX3
— @jason (@Jason) December 21, 2025
This isn’t the first time Waymo has had its moments in the spotlight for less-than-stellar outcomes. Just a couple of months ago, their vehicle was involved in an accident that tragically claimed the life of a beloved cat named Kit Kat. These incidents reveal that sometimes, robots fail in unpredictable ways that human drivers just don’t. Imagine a vehicle taking off while someone is coaxing an animal from under its chassis—most human drivers wouldn’t behave in such a manner.
Updated at 7:12 p.m. ET: Waymo has provided an official statement:
“We are resuming ride-hailing service in the San Francisco Bay Area. Yesterday’s power outage was a widespread event that caused gridlock across San Francisco, with non-functioning traffic signals and transit disruptions. While the failure of the utility infrastructure was significant, we are committed to ensuring our technology adjusts to traffic flow during such events.
“Throughout the outage, we closely coordinated with San Francisco city officials. We are focused on rapidly integrating the lessons learned from this event and are committed to earning and maintaining the trust of the communities we serve every day.”
Will this recent blackout influence how we view autonomous vehicles in routine settings? How do you feel about a future where technology can inadvertently make life more complicated? Let’s keep the conversation flowing. Feel free to drop your thoughts in the comments below!