Waymo Grounds Its Self-Driving Taxis to Protect Against California Rioters

Waymo, Alphabet’s autonomous vehicle subsidiary, has suspended its driverless taxi operations in certain areas.

Los Angeles and San Francisco, the usual playgrounds for Waymo’s autonomous taxis, have recently been the scene of ultra-violent protests against the immigration law enacted by Donald Trump. Several Jaguar I-Pace robotaxis from Waymo, all electric, have been vandalized and set on fire during these tragic events.

During the protests, images showed Waymo robotaxis being attacked, with at least five damaged and one reduced to ashes. In Los Angeles, the police advised avoiding downtown due to toxic smoke from burning lithium-ion batteries. Waymo stated it was suspending its services in the affected areas “as a precaution.”

A Heavy Bill for Waymo

According to estimates, each Waymo robotaxi costs nearly $200,000. The bill would therefore exceed a million dollars as this is not the first time these vehicles have been targeted. In February, a Jaguar I-Pace robotaxi was set on fire in San Francisco. Despite these incidents, Waymo claims to have no reason to believe its vehicles were specifically targeted, but it is increasingly evident that electric vehicles are becoming preferred targets for vandals. This situation is quite incomprehensible as they are clean vehicles and often reasonably priced, but from Elon Musk to China, they symbolize a certain economy rejected by the masses.

These attacks highlight the tensions surrounding autonomous and electric technologies in a tense social context. Waymo, while not linked to the causes of the protests, finds itself at the center of the violence, with its electric vehicles inexplicably attracting the wrath of vandals. The company will need to assess financial and logistical impacts while securing its operations in complex urban environments.

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