Terrifying moment Waymo drives through exploding fireworks as passenger left helpless
2026-07-05
New York Post
The information displayed in the AIM should not be reported as representing the official views of the OECD or of its member countries.
During San Francisco's July 4th celebrations, Waymo's autonomous vehicles malfunctioned amid extreme traffic, with several stalling, running out of power, and blocking roads. One vehicle drove through exploding fireworks, and another caught fire after hitting a firework. These incidents caused significant traffic disruption and raised safety concerns, though no injuries were reported.[AI generated]
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The event involves an AI system (Waymo's autonomous vehicle) whose use directly led to a hazardous situation where passengers were exposed to exploding fireworks without the vehicle stopping or avoiding the hazard. Although no injuries occurred, the AI system's failure to respond appropriately to the dangerous environment constitutes a malfunction leading to potential harm to persons, meeting the criteria for an AI Incident. The presence of the AI system is explicit, the harm is direct and related to passenger safety, and the event is not merely a potential hazard or complementary information but an actual incident involving AI malfunction.[AI generated]