© Reuters. A Waymo self-driving robotaxi, owned by Alphabet’s autonomous driving unit, is engulfed in flames after the San Francisco Fireplace Division stated in a press release on social media that fireworks had 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 fireplace to a Waymo self-driving automotive utilizing a firework in San Francisco on Saturday, the Alphabet-owned firm and authorities stated, marking essentially the most harmful assault up to now on driverless automobiles within the U.S.
On Saturday night time, a crowd surrounded a white sport utility automobile that was transferring alongside a avenue within the metropolis’s Chinatown district, an organization spokesperson stated.
Michael Vandi, a witness who posted movies of the incident, informed Reuters that individuals had 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 individual additionally jumped on the hood 30 seconds later as some within the crowd clapped in approval, he informed Reuters in a Twitter direct message.
“That was when it went WILD,” he wrote, describing folks with skateboards breaking the glass and others graffitiing the automotive. “There have been 2 teams of individuals. People who encourage it – and others who had been simply shocked & began filming. Nobody stood up – i imply there wasn’t something you might 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 stated somebody threw a firework inside, which set the automobile on fireplace. The fireplace division posted footage on social media of the charred stays of the automotive and stated 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 stated. It didn’t say what brought on the assault.
The San Francisco Police Division stated it was investigating the reason for the fireplace and didn’t say whether or not arrests have been made. The electrical automotive, 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 informed Reuters, including it’s going to “proceed serving riders throughout at the moment’s festivities.”
The incident was not the primary time folks have harassed self-driving automobiles, however its severity might illustrate rising public hostility following a pedestrian-dragging accident final 12 months involving a automobile operated by Normal 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 folks placing orange visitors cones on high of the automobiles to hinder their sensors and power them to cease abruptly.
Final week, a driverless Waymo automotive collided with a bicycle owner in San Francisco, inflicting minor accidents. The incident is being reviewed by the state’s auto regulator.
Waymo presents 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 toes (6 meters). California subsequently suspended the corporate’s driverless testing license, and Cruise pulled all its U.S. self-driving automobiles from testing.
Utterly driverless take a look at automobiles, largely from Cruise and Waymo fleets, traveled almost 3.3 million miles (5.3 million km) in California final 12 months.