Power Outage Strands Waymo Cars in San Francisco

A widespread power outage hit San Francisco on Saturday, December 21, 2025, plunging about 130,000 customers into darkness at its peak, as reported by Pacific Gas and Electric Company. The blackout not only disrupted daily life but also exposed vulnerabilities in autonomous vehicle technology, particularly for Waymo's driverless fleet.

Social media buzzed with images and videos of Waymo SUVs frozen in place, unable to detect non-functional traffic lights, leading to severe traffic jams across city streets. In contrast, footage showed Tesla vehicles utilizing their Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature to maneuver through the affected areas without issue. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, highlighted this resilience on social media.

By Sunday evening, Waymo spokesperson Suzanne Philion announced the resumption of ride-hailing services in the San Francisco Bay Area, signaling a swift return to normal operations. This incident underscores the challenges of integrating autonomous driving in urban environments prone to infrastructure failures, while also spotlighting competitive edges in the evolving robotaxi landscape.

On Saturday, December 21, 2025, a major power outage struck San Francisco, California, affecting a vast number of residents and businesses. Pacific Gas and Electric Company confirmed that the blackout reached its peak, impacting approximately 130,000 customers across the city.

The outage led to widespread disruptions, including darkened streets and halted public services. In the heart of the city, key infrastructure like traffic lights failed, creating immediate challenges for navigation and safety.

This event highlighted the fragility of urban power grids, especially in a tech-forward hub like San Francisco, where reliance on electricity is integral to daily operations and emerging technologies.

Scope of the Blackout

The power failure extended to multiple neighborhoods, compounding issues for commuters and emergency responders. Social media quickly filled with reports of the chaos, as residents shared real-time updates on the situation.

• Peak impact: 130,000 customers without power
• Duration: Ongoing into the evening, with gradual restorations
• Affected areas: Central San Francisco districts

Waymo's autonomous SUVs became a focal point of the outage's repercussions, as the vehicles were unable to function properly without operational traffic lights. Photos and videos captured by individuals like photographer Tayfun Coskun illustrated Waymo driverless cars halted in intersections, exacerbating traffic congestion.

Social media posts proliferated, showing the company's fleet sitting idle on San Francisco streets, blocking lanes and frustrating drivers. This standstill not only delayed passengers but also raised questions about the reliability of autonomous driving systems in unexpected scenarios.

The incident revealed how Waymo vehicles depend on visual cues from infrastructure, which vanished during the blackout, leaving the SUVs programmed to wait indefinitely.

Traffic Jams Caused by Idle Fleet

The stranded vehicles contributed to significant backups, turning busy thoroughfares into gridlock. Eyewitness accounts described scenes of multiple Waymo SUVs clustered together, unable to proceed without guidance from failed signals.

• Social media evidence: Videos of frozen Waymo cars
• Impact: Widespread traffic jams in affected zones
• Technical limitation: Inability to detect non-working traffic lights

These visuals underscored the real-world hurdles for robotaxi services in power-dependent urban settings.

In stark contrast to Waymo, Tesla vehicles demonstrated resilience during the San Francisco blackout. User-posted videos showcased Tesla cars employing their Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature to navigate the darkened streets successfully.

Elon Musk, Tesla's CEO, took to social media to emphasize this capability, noting the unaffected performance of the company's robotaxis. This public statement amplified discussions on the comparative strengths of different autonomous technologies.

The ability of Tesla systems to adapt without relying solely on traffic infrastructure highlighted ongoing innovations in the automotive sector, particularly in handling edge cases like power failures.

Social Media Comparisons

Online content juxtaposed the two brands, with clips of Tesla vehicles moving fluidly alongside immobilized Waymo units. These comparisons fueled debates on the maturity of FSD versus other self-driving platforms.

• Tesla FSD: Enabled navigation through outage-affected areas
• Public reaction: Videos shared widely on social platforms
• Competitive insight: Tesla Robotaxis operated without interruption

Such observations provide valuable context for the evolving landscape of driverless transportation in California.

Following the outage, Waymo acted promptly to address the disruptions. On Sunday evening, December 22, 2025, spokesperson Suzanne Philion confirmed the company's readiness to restart operations.

The announcement marked a quick turnaround, with ride-hailing services resuming across the San Francisco Bay Area. This recovery effort demonstrated Waymo's operational agility in restoring public trust after the incident.

The event serves as a reminder of the need for robust contingency measures in autonomous vehicle deployments, especially in cities with variable infrastructure reliability.

Implications for Autonomous Tech

Moving forward, incidents like this may prompt enhancements in sensor fusion and alternative navigation methods for fleets like Waymo's. The contrast with Tesla also intensifies competition, pushing the industry toward more resilient solutions.

• Resumption timeline: Sunday evening after Saturday outage
• Service area: San Francisco Bay Area
• Statement source: Suzanne Philion, Waymo spokesperson

In conclusion, while the power outage exposed limitations, the rapid recovery by Waymo and the performance of Tesla illustrate the progress and potential pitfalls in autonomous driving technology, shaping the future of urban mobility in San Francisco and beyond.