A Waymo driverless car is not able to detect traffic lights after a major power outage in San Francisco, California, United States on December 20, 2025.
Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty Images
Waymo halted service in San Francisco as of Saturday at 8 p.m., following a power outage that left approximately 30% of the city without power. The autonomous cars have been causing traffic jams throughout the city, as the vehicles seem unable to function without traffic signals.
“We have temporarily suspended our ride-hailing services given the broad power outage in San Francisco,” Suzanne Philion, a Waymo spokesperson told SFGATE via email Saturday night. “We are focused on keeping our riders safe and ensuring emerg…
A Waymo driverless car is not able to detect traffic lights after a major power outage in San Francisco, California, United States on December 20, 2025.
Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty Images
Waymo halted service in San Francisco as of Saturday at 8 p.m., following a power outage that left approximately 30% of the city without power. The autonomous cars have been causing traffic jams throughout the city, as the vehicles seem unable to function without traffic signals.
“We have temporarily suspended our ride-hailing services given the broad power outage in San Francisco,” Suzanne Philion, a Waymo spokesperson told SFGATE via email Saturday night. “We are focused on keeping our riders safe and ensuring emergency personnel have the clear access they need to do their work.”
Article continues below this ad
Pedestrians posted videos on X Saturday of Waymo cars stuck at intersections with their lights flashing.
The widespread power outage is affecting around San Francisco 130,000 customers and began as early as 9:40 a.m. in parts of the city. Neighborhoods with outages include Richmond, Sunset, Haight Ashbury, Hayes Valley, Forest Hill, all of Golden Gate Park and the Presidio and parts of downtown and South of Market.
Article continues below this ad
There is no timeline for when the power will be restored.
The outage stems from an issue at a substation at 8th Street and Mission Streets. Lurie confirmed via Instagram that PG&E is assessing the damage at the substation, but issues could continue “into the early morning hours,” he said.