© Reuters. A Waymo self-driving robotaxi, owned by Alphabet’s autonomous driving unit, is engulfed in flames after the San Francisco Fireplace Division mentioned in a press release on social media that fireworks have been thrown contained in the automobile, in San Francisco, California Febru
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By Hyunjoo Jin, Mariana Sandoval and Abhirup Roy
(Reuters) – A crowd vandalized and set hearth to a Waymo self-driving automobile utilizing a firework in San Francisco on Saturday, the Alphabet-owned firm and authorities mentioned, marking essentially the most harmful assault thus far on driverless automobiles within the U.S.
On Saturday evening, a crowd surrounded a white sport utility automobile that was transferring alongside a road within the metropolis’s Chinatown district, an organization spokesperson mentioned.
Michael Vandi, a witness who posted movies of the incident, advised Reuters that individuals have been celebrating China’s Lunar New 12 months by setting off fireworks. An individual jumped onto the hood of the Waymo automobile and broke its windshield. One other particular person additionally jumped on the hood 30 seconds later as some within the crowd clapped in approval, he advised Reuters in an X direct message.
“That was when it went WILD,” he wrote, describing individuals with skateboards breaking the glass and others graffitiing the automobile. “There have been 2 teams of individuals. People who encourage it – and others who have been simply shocked & began filming. Nobody stood up – i imply there wasn’t something you possibly can do to face as much as dozens of individuals.”
His video confirmed the automobile engulfed in flames with an enormous plume of black smoke.
Waymo mentioned somebody threw a firework inside, which set the automobile on hearth. The fireplace division posted footage on social media of the charred stays of the automobile and mentioned a firework began the blaze.
“The automobile was not transporting any riders and no accidents have been reported. We’re working carefully with native security officers to reply to the scenario,” the corporate mentioned. It didn’t say what precipitated the assault.
The San Francisco Police Division mentioned it was investigating the reason for the hearth and didn’t say whether or not arrests have been made. The electrical automobile, a Jaguar I-PACE, is provided with 29 cameras and different sensors.
The newest incident got here a day earlier than the Tremendous Bowl NFL championship involving the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
“This was a one-off occasion,” the Waymo spokesperson advised Reuters, including it should “proceed serving riders throughout at this time’s festivities.”
The incident was not the primary time individuals have harassed self-driving automobiles, however its severity could illustrate rising public hostility following a pedestrian-dragging accident final yr involving a automobile operated by Common Motors (NYSE:)’ Cruise unit.
On earlier events in San Francisco and Phoenix, Arizona, teams have disrupted the operations of self-driving automobiles, blocking their path, making an attempt to enter the automobiles and leaping on their hoods. Movies that went viral confirmed individuals placing orange visitors cones on prime of the automobiles to impede their sensors and drive them to cease abruptly.
Final week, a driverless Waymo automobile collided with a bike owner in San Francisco, inflicting minor accidents. The incident is being reviewed by the state’s auto regulator.
Waymo provides driverless ride-hailing service in Phoenix and is working to develop the service to Los Angeles and Austin, Texas.
On Oct. 2, 2023, a pedestrian hit by one other automobile was thrown into the trail of a self-driving Cruise automobile and dragged 20 ft (6 meters). California subsequently suspended the corporate’s driverless testing license, and Cruise pulled all its U.S. self-driving automobiles from testing.
Fully driverless take a look at automobiles, principally from Cruise and Waymo fleets, traveled almost 3.3 million miles (5.3 million km) in California final yr.
(This story has been refiled to right Twitter to X in paragraph 3)