‘Havoc on the Streets’: SF Official Slams Waymo as July 4 Records Surface

San Francisco’s Emergency Management Chief Exasperated by Waymo Robotaxis on July 4

San Francisco’s emergency management chief, Mary Ellen Carroll, expressed frustration with Waymo robotaxis during the chaotic aftermath of the Golden Gate Bridge fireworks show on July 4, according to newly released records. The incident highlighted growing concerns among city officials about the impact of autonomous vehicles on traffic and public safety.

Carroll, the executive director of the city Department of Emergency Management, conveyed her frustrations in a late-night text message to Mayor Daniel Lurie’s top aide. She described Waymo as “continuing to (wreak) havoc on the streets,” emphasizing that the situation was going to be a long night. This message was part of a cache of documents obtained by the Chronicle through a public records request.

The messages between Carroll and other city officials provided further insight into the challenges faced by San Francisco leaders in managing the integration of autonomous vehicles. Waymo has come under increased scrutiny this month after its vehicles contributed to a transportation meltdown on July 4. Lurie has since asked state regulators to develop new standards for autonomous vehicles during major events and emergencies, citing that Waymo struggled to navigate the massive crowds trying to get home after the fog-shrouded fireworks display.

City lawmakers are also investigating what went wrong on the Fourth of July, when cars and Muni buses were stuck in standstill traffic for extended periods. Some residents opted to travel home on foot due to the congestion.

Lurie has generally supported Waymo in San Francisco, allowing the company’s autonomous vehicles to operate on Market Street, which had previously been closed to cars. However, he and other local leaders are now demanding more accountability following two recent incidents. The first was when the robotaxis stalled at intersections during a widespread Pacific Gas and Electric Co. blackout in December.

On July 4, videos shared on social media showed a long line of Waymo robotaxis paralyzed on a key Presidio road after the fireworks show. The company admitted that some of its vehicles lost power while idling and had to be towed.

Carroll noted in a July 5 text message to Aly Bonde, Lurie’s chief of staff, that Waymo was a significant issue that worsened an already bad situation with congestion. She estimated that “a few hundred people” were forced to wait for late-night AC Transit buses that ran every half hour, with the crowd not thinning out until about 3 a.m., when the city closed its emergency operations center.

In another message to Supervisor Stephen Sherrill, who represents the Marina and other northern neighborhoods, Carroll echoed her view that Waymo worsened an already tough transit situation this month. She wrote, “Lots of debriefing and lessons learned here,” and mentioned discussions about how to move forward.

Waymo has responded to the criticism by referring back to a previous statement from Thursday, in which the company claimed it had “successfully supported” a range of big events in San Francisco, including those preceding the Super Bowl and the NBA All-Star Weekend.

“The city and Waymo share a mutual goal of providing safe and accessible transportation for visitors and residents alike,” Waymo officials stated. They added that they would continue to partner with the City’s agencies, collaborating on the learnings based on the millions of rides they have provided in San Francisco.

Despite her frustrations, Carroll tried to find a silver lining. She wrote that the positive thought she had was that with all going on, there seemed to be very few injuries or serious incidents (besides traffic) due to the fireworks. However, she acknowledged that some “serious injuries” were caused by unsanctioned fireworks in other parts of the city, which she described as “unfortunately” a normal occurrence on July 4.