Waymo

During a December 20, 2025 power outage in San Francisco, Waymo robotaxis stalled across the city, blocking intersections and emergency vehicles. Mayor Daniel Lurie texted Waymo's CEO reporting a car blocking a fire truck from reaching an active fire. In subsequent regulatory proceedings, a judge scolded Waymo after the company refused to disclose how many robotaxis had stalled, claiming the information was a trade secret.

NHTSA opened investigation after Waymo vehicles repeatedly passed stopped school buses with red lights flashing and stop arms deployed. Austin ISD documented 20+ citations since August 2025. Company claimed software fix in November but violations continued. Faces potential penalties up to $139M.

Between July 2024 and July 2025, hourly pay for Uber and Lyft drivers fell sharply in cities where Waymo operates: 6.9% in San Francisco and 5.3% in Austin. With Waymo providing 450,000 paid rides per week by December 2025 and targeting 1 million weekly by end of 2026, organized labor groups including the Teamsters, San Francisco Taxi Workers Alliance, and Rideshare Drivers United have mobilized opposition. San Francisco taxi drivers holding medallions purchased since 2010 have sought debt relief assistance. Multiple cities including San Diego, Minneapolis, and Boston have seen formal opposition from councils and labor coalitions.

In June 2025, Waymo suspended service in parts of San Francisco and Los Angeles after multiple robotaxis were vandalized during protests against ICE activities and the Trump administration. The vehicles had become symbolic targets of resistance to the tech industry's perceived close ties to the Trump administration. Earlier in February 2024, a Waymo was set on fire in SF's Chinatown during Lunar New Year celebrations. The incidents reflect growing community tension over the presence of autonomous vehicles in urban neighborhoods.

Waymo issued voluntary recall for vehicles with fifth-generation automated driving system following NHTSA investigation citing 16 collision reports with gates, chains, and barriers between December 2022 and 2024. No injuries reported. Software fix deployed by December 2024.

In April 2025, security researcher Jane Manchun Wong discovered an unreleased Waymo privacy policy page revealing plans to use interior camera data associated with rider identities for training generative AI models. The draft included opt-out language for riders. Waymo initially confirmed the feature was under development, but later denied using in-car footage for generative AI training, claiming the discovered text was inaccurate placeholder language. Each Waymo vehicle carries 29 external cameras, and the company's data retention policies for interior and exterior footage remain opaque.

On February 16, 2025, a cyclist was hospitalized after being doored by a passenger exiting a Waymo robotaxi. The cyclist sued Waymo, alleging the vehicle had stopped in an unsafe location and failed to warn passengers before exiting. The incident raised questions about autonomous vehicle passenger safety protocols.

On January 19, 2025, a Waymo robotaxi was stopped in a line of cars when a speeding driver rear-ended the queue, killing a passenger in another vehicle. This was the first fatal crash involving a Waymo vehicle. Analysis indicates the Waymo vehicle was not at fault - it was stationary in traffic when struck from behind.

A peer-reviewed study led by Swiss Re, published covering over 3.8 million autonomous miles, found that Waymo vehicles reduced property damage insurance claims by 76% and completely eliminated bodily injury claims compared to human drivers. Waymo estimated injury-causing crashes were 80% less frequent, pedestrian injuries 92% less common, and cyclist injuries 78% less common than typical human drivers. An independent analysis of 38 serious crashes (July 2024-February 2025) found only 1 was clearly Waymo's fault.

Throughout 2024-2025, Waymo robotaxis caused recurring noise complaints in San Francisco. In mid-2024, vehicles honked at each other throughout the night in a South of Market parking lot, disrupting sleep for nearby residents for weeks. Resident Sophia Tung ran a live stream of the lot to document the issue. In the Inner Richmond neighborhood in 2025, residents posted signs reading 'No Waymos from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m!' citing vehicles arriving up to 7 times per hour with flashing lights and reverse warning sounds. Waymo only responded to the SoMa issue after significant media attention.

In May 2024, a Waymo autonomous vehicle collided with a wooden utility pole in a Phoenix alleyway while executing a low-speed pullover maneuver. No passengers or other road users were involved and there were no injuries. Waymo voluntarily recalled 672 vehicles and deployed a software update to enhance pole detection and road boundary mapping. The recall was part of an NHTSA investigation covering 22 incidents involving collisions with stationary objects like gates and chains.

In October 2022, Waymo launched the Waymo Accessibility Network, a formal collaboration with 13 disability advocacy organizations including the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), National Federation of the Blind, United Spinal Association, and American Council of the Blind. The network conducts user research and product testing to develop accessibility features including Braille labels, screen reader support, audio cues for vehicle maneuvers, and wayfinding tools for vision-impaired riders.

Waymo sued the California DMV in January 2022 to prevent public release of data on driverless crashes, claiming it constituted a trade secret. Topics Waymo wanted hidden included emergency handling procedures and operational constraints. In February 2022, Waymo was successful in preventing the release, despite claiming they would be transparent about safety.