Scenes of chaos from San Francisco’s Chinatown unfold throughout social media Sunday after a mob vandalized and set hearth to a Waymo self-driving automotive utilizing a firework on Saturday night. Waymo, owned by Google mother or father firm Alphabet, has been providing Californians a 24/7 taxi service in driverless vehicles since final summer time.
“Waymo Vehicle surrounded and then graffiti’d,” the San Francisco Fire Department stated on social media hours later. “Windows were broken, and firework lit on fire inside the vehicle which ultimately caught the entire vehicle on fire.”
Photos uploaded by the hearth division, which later reminded folks that utilizing fireworks is banned in San Francisco, confirmed the automobile in flames and later its charred stays.
Waymo Vehicle surrounded after which graffiti’d, home windows had been damaged, and firework lit on hearth contained in the automobile which finally caught your complete automobile on hearth. #SFFD
Photos by Séraphine Hossenlopp pic.twitter.com/aOTqL3Rk8V— SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDIA (@SFFDPIO) February 11, 2024
Police are investigating, and no arrests had been made as of Monday afternoon, San Francisco Police Department spokesperson Paulina Henderson advised The Washington Post.
Officers responded to the hearth at about 8:50 p.m. native time, the police assertion stated. When the officers arrived, the unoccupied automotive was “engulfed in flames,” based on the assertion, which added that there have been no studies of accidents.
Aaron Peskin, president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, advised NBC News that the incident was “terrible” and “extremely dangerous.”
“Buildings could have been lit on fire, people could have been hurt and most importantly, this was the day of the Chinese Lunar New Year,” Peskin stated. “This is one of the most important days for families, there were thousands and thousands of tourists here, partaking in the events.”
A Waymo spokesperson advised Reuters that the passenger-less automotive was shifting alongside a avenue in Chinatown when folks surrounded it. Later somebody threw a firework inside, setting the hearth, the corporate stated.
“The vehicle was not transporting any riders and no injuries have been reported,” the corporate stated.
Although vehicles with out drivers have change into a widespread sight on San Francisco’s winding and sloping streets, there are long-standing tensions between town’s residents and the vehicles.
Still, hardly ever have driverless vehicles been set on hearth.
A Waymo automobile struck a bicycle owner final week within the Potrero Hill neighborhood, leading to minor accidents, the Verge reported. The Waymo passenger was unharmed, and the bicycle owner left the scene on their very own.
Driverless vehicles have prompted main considerations in San Francisco by disrupting first responders on a number of events, together with driving into scenes cordoned off by warning tape and putting a firetruck responding to an emergency, The Post beforehand reported.
Last yr, a robotaxi operated by Cruise — a Waymo rival — rolled over a pedestrian and dragged her about 20 ft, after which the California Department of Motor Vehicles suspended its operations. Days later, the corporate stated it could droop all driverless operations within the nation to look at its course of and earn again public belief.
In 4 movies uploaded by witness Michael Vandi, who heads Addy AI, an AI firm, a person who’s utilizing his jacket to cowl his face will be seen scribbling on the again of the automotive with what seems to be a sharpie. Others within the crowd seem unmasked. An unidentified voice encourages others to mild the automobile on hearth.
The ambiance straight outdoors Hua Long Trading, a store promoting cigarettes, snacks and different each day gadgets on Jackson Street, seems charged.
Once the automotive is about on hearth, nonetheless, folks seem to again away from the automobile. The Post couldn’t entry footage of the second when the firecracker was thrown contained in the automotive.
Vandi advised Reuters in a direct message on X, previously Twitter, that individuals had been celebrating the Lunar New Year on Saturday night by setting off fireworks. He stated he noticed an individual soar onto the hood of the automobile and break its windshield, and one other later jumped onto the hood as the group clapped. Vandi couldn’t be reached for remark Monday morning.
“That was when it went WILD,” he wrote. “There were 2 groups of people. Folks who encourage it – and others who were just shocked & started filming. No one stood up – i mean there wasn’t anything you could do to stand up to dozens of people.”