Waymo pauses robotaxis in SF again due to flash flood warnings on Christmas Day

December 26, 2025

TL;DR

Waymo temporarily paused its driverless taxi service in San Francisco due to National Weather Service flash flood warnings.
This service disruption comes shortly after Waymo announced fleet updates to better operate during power outages.
Waymo's service was previously disrupted during a blackout in San Francisco, causing some vehicles to halt and contribute to gridlock.
The California Public Utilities Commission regulates driverless ride-hailing services in the state.
Waymo operates commercial, driverless services in five U.S. markets and plans significant expansion in 2026.
There is increased public scrutiny and safety concerns surrounding Waymo's robotaxi expansion.
Former San Francisco Municipal Transit Authority CEO Jeffrey Tumlin suggests regulators set limits on autonomous vehicles and implement staged scaling based on performance tests, especially during emergencies like blackouts or floods.

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