SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Social media was abuzz with scenes of chaos from San Francisco’s Chinatown over the weekend after a mob vandalized and set fire to a Waymo self-driving car using a firework. The incident, which took place on Saturday evening, was captured in videos that circulated online, showing a man ramming a skateboard into the vehicle’s window and another individual setting off a firework inside the car, leading to it being engulfed in flames.
Waymo, owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet, has been providing Californians with a 24/7 taxi service using driverless cars since last summer. This vandalism and arson have raised concerns about the safety and acceptance of autonomous vehicles in the city.
The San Francisco Fire Department shared photos of the vehicle in flames and later its charred remains. Police are currently investigating the incident, and so far, no arrests have been made. San Francisco Police Department spokesperson Paulina Henderson confirmed that officers responded to the fire at about 8:50 p.m. local time and found the unoccupied car engulfed in flames, with no reports of injuries.
The incident has drawn criticism from city officials, with Aaron Peskin, president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, describing the event as “terrible” and “extremely dangerous,” especially considering that the Chinese Lunar New Year was being celebrated at the time, with thousands of tourists in attendance.
Additionally, Waymo released a statement confirming that the vehicle was not transporting any passengers and that no injuries have been reported. The incident has added to existing tensions between city residents and driverless cars, which have previously been involved in accidents and encounters with pedestrians and first responders in the city.
This latest incident will undoubtedly prompt further discussions about the regulation and public acceptance of autonomous vehicles in San Francisco and beyond. As the investigation continues, questions about the safety and future of self-driving technology are likely to remain at the forefront of public discourse.