_Incident · Malfunction_

# Dozens of Waymo robotaxis stranded during San Francisco power outage, blocking roads citywide

Canonical ID: `8ec6e163-dcfa-441a-bbd5-95ac67d6ad7c`

- **Occurred:** 2025-12-20
- **Kind:** `malfunction`
- **Status (derived):** active
- **Company:** [Waymo](/companies/waymo.md) (id: `2128addc-20c8-4c31-aef5-be5ada97aede`)

On December 19-20, 2025, a power substation fire in San Francisco left a third of the city without power, disabling traffic lights. Dozens of [Waymo](/companies/waymo.md) robotaxis became stranded, unable to navigate intersections without functioning traffic signals, and blocked key streets. Waymo eventually halted service citywide. The incident highlighted vulnerabilities in AV systems during infrastructure failures.

## Sources (3)

1. **The Guardian** · https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/21/power-outages-san-francisco-traffic-waymo-taxis-traffic · 2025-12-21
2. **Forbes** · https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradtempleton/2025/12/29/waymo-did-badly-in-a-big-power-outage--where-was-the-simulator/ · 2025-12-29
3. **TechCrunch** · https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/28/waymo-robotaxi-operators-face-fresh-scrutiny-over-emergency-response-failures/ · 2026-07-28

## Common questions

### What happened in Dozens of Waymo robotaxis stranded during San Francisco power outage, blocking roads citywide?

On December 19-20, 2025, a power substation fire in San Francisco left a third of the city without power, disabling traffic lights. Dozens of Waymo robotaxis became stranded, unable to navigate intersections without functioning traffic signals, and blocked key streets. Waymo eventually halted service citywide. The incident highlighted vulnerabilities in AV systems during infrastructure failures.

### When did this incident occur?

The incident is recorded as occurring on December 20, 2025 on the DEPLOY registry. The date reflects the underlying real-world event, not the registry record's creation date.

### Who was involved in Dozens of Waymo robotaxis stranded during San Francisco power outage, blocking roads citywide?

The incident is recorded as involving Waymo on the DEPLOY registry. No specific robot model is linked to this incident in the registry.

### Has anyone responded to Dozens of Waymo robotaxis stranded during San Francisco power outage, blocking roads citywide?

No responses to this incident are recorded on the DEPLOY registry. Operators, manufacturers, or affected parties can submit responses to the editorial team; absence is not a guarantee no response was issued.

### What is the current status of Dozens of Waymo robotaxis stranded during San Francisco power outage, blocking roads citywide?

This incident is an active record on the DEPLOY registry; no retraction or correction has been issued.


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