Waymo fire adds to chaotic Fourth of July night in San Francisco

Key Points:

• An unoccupied Waymo autonomous vehicle caught fire in San Francisco after driving over a firework on Fourth of July night, with no injuries reported and the vehicle safely removed by authorities.
• Another incident involved a Waymo vehicle with passengers inside encountering a lit firework, causing smoke and sparks, as shown in social media videos.
• Waymo vehicles contributed to traffic congestion in northern San Francisco, with several robotaxis disabled or stopped in traffic, exacerbating gridlock in the Presidio and surrounding areas.
• The company coordinated with local authorities to clear affected vehicles and is working on improving its fleet's resilience to major traffic disruptions after similar issues during a December power outage.
• The city's Fourth of July celebrations were marked by fog obscuring the fireworks, severe traffic delays, overwhelmed public transit, and widespread complaints from residents about blocked streets and limited amenities.