San Francisco Logs 31 Robotaxi Obstruction Reports Since 2025, Pressuring Waymo

3 articles · Updated · The San Francisco Standard · Jul 10

At least 31 internal reports filed since April 2025 show Waymo and other robotaxis delaying or blocking San Francisco emergency crews, including four life-threatening Code 3 responses.
One December 2025 incident lasted 15 minutes after a Waymo blocked a rescue vehicle on a narrow street; firefighters said remote help failed and they had to enter the car to move it.
The reports describe repeated problems—blocked firehouse exits, stalled cars in front of ambulances and fire engines, and two separate cases in which firefighters manually moved Waymos to position ladders at fires.
The pattern is drawing wider scrutiny: NHTSA says it sees a clear national pattern of AV interference, California now requires companies to answer first-responder calls within 30 seconds, and a San Francisco supervisor plans fines for obstructions.
Waymo says the reports reflect a tiny share of operations—its fleet handles 50,000 emergency-vehicle interactions a week in California without issue—but firefighters say incidents may be undercounted, especially during the 2025 blackout.

Sources

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The San Francisco Standard22h ago

Waymo Robotaxis Obstruct San Francisco Firefighters, Prompting Regulatory Scrutiny

Facebook22h ago

NHTSA is demanding self-driving car companies fix a “clear pattern” of driverless vehicles interfering with police, firefighters and paramedics, including a Waymo that partially blocked a route Dallas fire trucks were using

oecd.ai22h ago

US Regulators Warn Self-Driving Car Companies Over Interference with Emergency Responders - OECD.AI

After recalls and new laws, can Waymo's AI ever truly learn the unwritten rules of a real-world emergency?

Are we unfairly targeting robotaxis for mistakes that thousands of human drivers make every single day?

California’s 2026 Robotaxi Crackdown: New Regulations, Safety Failures, and the Battle for Public Trust

Overview

Following a series of high-profile robotaxi incidents and rising public safety concerns, California published new regulations in May 2026 to hold autonomous vehicle manufacturers more accountable. These rules require companies to complete extensive road testing before deployment, update first responder interaction plans annually, and ensure emergency personnel have quick access to manual overrides and communication systems. Training for safe emergency interactions is also mandated. Together, these measures aim to address the challenges exposed by recent incidents, strengthen public safety, and ensure that robotaxis are better integrated into emergency response frameworks.

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