Waymo’s self-driving taxis are burning in numbers during the ongoing protests in LA. The LAPD says that people are ordering Waymo’s autonomous cars with the intention of setting the EVs on fire.
Waymo has successfully taken hold of the car service market in certain cities by integrating self-driving vehicles that actually work. The autonomous vehicles are one of the few self-driving models that offer a safe and efficient experience to the user, which has proven to be a popular alternative to other ride-sharing alternatives.
Right now, though, Waymo’s fleet is feeling the heat. Videos online are surfacing showing what looks like several Waymo Jaguar I-PACE EVs being set on fire in the wake of protests in LA against recent immigration enforcement attempts. These vehicles don’t seem to be transporting anyone; rather, it was initially thought that they were reportedly being ordered through the app with the intent of setting them on fire.
Update 6/10: Waymo notes that these vehicles had not seemingly been called to the area with the intention of vandalism.
These Waymos were already in the area when the environment around them shifted quickly, and we have no reason to believe they were hailed by people at the scene with the intention of being destroyed.
According to @ScannerPacific on Twitter/X, it had become enough of an issue that LAPD has requested that Waymo shut down service to users in the surrounding area. It’s suggested that at least five Waymos EVs were set on fire, and video shows them burning almost beyond recognition.
The fires have also affected Lime’s service, with scooters being included in the incident.
Waymo initially announced plans to more than double its fleet of self-driving I-PACE vehicles with a new manufacturing site. The goal is to add over 2,000 vehicles to the self-driving network, with the goal of expanding to other cities. Waymo currently operates in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, Silicon Valley, and Miami.
As for operations in Los Angeles, Waymo is likely to be put out of commission until further notice.
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