Waymo Suspends Downtown LA Service After Five Driverless Taxis Torched

Waymo has suspended its autonomous vehicle operations in downtown Los Angeles following violent anti-ICE protests during which at least five of its driverless taxis were vandalized and set on fire, causing damages estimated between $750,000 and $1 million. The company removed vehicles from the area under guidance from the Los Angeles Police Department, which declared the situation an unlawful assembly and warned of toxic hydrogen-fluoride gas released from burning lithium-ion batteries. Despite no evidence linking the protests specifically to Waymo, the incident highlighted the challenges autonomous vehicle services face in unpredictable urban environments. Waymo continues to operate in other parts of Los Angeles, including safer routes like Santa Monica to Marina del Rey, and plans to limit service in San Francisco ahead of anticipated protests. Alphabet's stock price rose following the service suspension, reflecting investor confidence in the company's broader technology ecosystem. These events underscore the complexities and risks of deploying autonomous technologies amid social unrest and the need for adaptive strategies for smart city innovations.