Waymo cars stranded on San Francisco streets as July Fourth gridlock drains batteries

U.S. newsWaymo cars stranded on San Francisco streets as Fourth of July gridlock drains batteries“Major traffic disruptions, a high volume of travelers, and unplanned road closures contributed to unexpected congestion,” a company spokesperson said in a statement. Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Several Waymo vehicles had to be towed away after their batteries became drained during standstill traffic amid Fourth of July celebrations in San Francisco on Saturday. X/ @iamwo1v / X/ @iamwo1vShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJuly 5, 2026, 11:50 PM EDTBy Dennis RomeroSeveral Waymo vehicles had to be towed away after the company said their batteries died while they were stuck in heavy San Francisco traffic amid Fourth of July celebrations.Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscriptionGet exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading.Video verified by NBC News showed at least a dozen stationary Waymo vehicles, many Jaguar I-PACE models, lined up on a street following a city and county-sponsored fireworks display from the Golden Gate Bridge.Another video showed more vehicles at a standstill at an intersection filled with people. One of the vehicles was on a flatbed truck.The company noted that there was heavy traffic in the area following fireworks celebrations.“Major traffic disruptions, a high volume of travelers, and unplanned road closures contributed to unexpected congestion,” a company spokesperson said in a statement. The spokesperson said Waymo’s roadside assistance team worked to clear the vehicles, adding that the company is “evaluating ways to strengthen Waymo’s resilience in major traffic disruptions.”Rose Peterson told NBC Bay Area she was in a Waymo ride leaving the area when the car kept driving while someone lit fireworks on the street.“We were pulling up to a four-way stop and this guy was shooting off a firework in the middle of the road, and then our Waymo starts driving, and we’re like, ‘Wait, what’s happening?’,” she said, adding th...