Mob Attacks Autonomous Vehicle in San Francisco

• Waymo’s autonomous taxi attacked: windows smashed, set on fire.
• No passengers, no injuries reported.
• Waymo cooperating with authorities, investigation underway.

In a disturbing turn of events, a driverless taxi operated by Waymo, the autonomous driving unit of Google’s parent company Alphabet, fell victim to a violent mob attack in San Francisco. The incident occurred on Saturday evening, as vandals smashed the vehicle’s windows, covered it in paint, and set it ablaze with fireworks.

The shocking act of vandalism was captured on video by Frisco Live 415 and later posted on YouTube, showcasing the extent of the destruction. Fortunately, no passengers were inside the vehicle at the time of the attack.

Waymo spokesperson confirmed the incident, stating, “At approximately 9 pm on Saturday, 10 February, a fully autonomous Waymo vehicle was navigating on Jackson Street in San Francisco when a crowd surrounded and vandalized the vehicle, breaking the window and throwing a firework inside, which set the vehicle on fire.”

The company is actively collaborating with local safety officials to address the situation, and while the vehicle suffered extensive damage, no injuries have been reported. It is noteworthy that the vehicle was not in service at the time, highlighting that the attack was seemingly targeted at the autonomous technology itself.

This act of vandalism raises concerns about the growing frustration and resistance towards driverless cars in San Francisco, which is only one of two cities in the US to authorize their use on public roads. The incident underscores the challenges faced by autonomous vehicle developers in gaining public acceptance and navigating the social and safety implications associated with their technology.

As authorities investigate the incident, it remains to be seen how this event will impact the ongoing efforts to integrate autonomous vehicles into daily urban life and address public apprehensions surrounding their deployment.

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