By Shawn Henry 
A widespread power outage in San Francisco led to unexpected complications on city streets when numerous autonomous Waymo vehicles became immobilized amid the disruption. The outage knocked out traffic signals across large areas of the city, creating confusion for both human drivers and automated systems as normal traffic flow abruptly broke down.
As traffic lights went dark, dozens of driverless Waymo cars were left unable to proceed safely. Some vehicles stopped in the middle of intersections, while others froze during turns or came to a halt in active lanes. With no functioning signals to guide movement, the vehicles remained stationary, contributing to growing congestion across already busy streets.
The stalled vehicles compounded an increasingly chaotic situation. With traffic controls offline citywide, drivers were forced to navigate intersections cautiously, often inching forward or stopping altogether. The presence of immobilized autonomous vehicles further restricted movement, causing traffic to back up in multiple directions. Streets that typically handled steady flows of cars quickly became congested, with gridlock spreading as more vehicles entered the affected areas.
The incident highlighted the challenges that can arise when advanced transportation technology encounters infrastructure failures. While human drivers can rely on visual cues or informal right-of-way decisions when traffic signals fail, the autonomous vehicles appeared unable to adapt under the same conditions. Their inability to proceed left them stranded in critical locations, disrupting traffic patterns and reducing available roadway space.
Images and video shared from the scene showed Waymo vehicles stopped at awkward angles, underscoring how quickly a loss of power can ripple through an urban transportation system. With intersections blocked and lanes partially obstructed, drivers were left with few options but to wait as congestion intensified.
The blackout and its effects on autonomous vehicles drew attention to how dependent modern transportation systems are on consistent infrastructure support. As cities continue to integrate driverless technology into daily traffic, incidents like this demonstrate the potential consequences when key systems fail simultaneously.
The power outage ultimately turned San Francisco streets into a test of resilience for both drivers and automated vehicles, revealing vulnerabilities that emerge when technology and infrastructure are disrupted at the same time.
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