San Francisco Mayor Seeks 4 State AV Standards After Waymo Gridlock
Updated
Updated · NBC Bay Area · Jul 17
San Francisco Mayor Seeks 4 State AV Standards After Waymo Gridlock
3 articles · Updated · NBC Bay Area · Jul 17
Summary
Daniel Lurie asked California transportation officials to set statewide autonomous-vehicle rules for emergencies and major events after Waymo cars stalled and blocked key San Francisco streets during July 4 traffic.
The mayor said the vehicles struggled before fireworks began and became immobilized as crowds left, turning heavy congestion into a standstill.
Lurie also cited a 2025 power outage, when Waymo vehicles stopped operating during traffic-signal failures, arguing the test is whether AVs perform in extraordinary conditions, not just normal ones.
His letter called for four capabilities—keeping people moving, real-time response, operational transparency and proof of readiness before deployment—while Waymo said extreme congestion disrupted several vehicles and it is reviewing how to improve resilience.