Terrified passengers film Waymo autonomous vehicle driving into live fireworks in San Francisco
Driverless Waymo car passes over fireworks, passengers left in shock
San Francisco – During Fourth of July festivities on Saturday, a Waymo driverless vehicle found itself racing through a burst of fireworks on a city street, sparking fear among its passengers and raising questions about autonomous navigation in chaotic holiday crowds.
The incident, captured on video and shared on social media, shows a Waymo car inching toward a line of exploding fireworks as they ignite. A passer‑by can be heard waving a hand, attempting to warn the vehicle to stop, but the car continued and passed over the flames and sparks before finally pulling away. None of the four occupants – a woman, a man, a child and another adult – were injured.
One passenger, speaking off‑camera, shouted, “No, no, no, don’t go, don’t go, don’t go,” while another later said, “Our Waymo just drove into a firework,” and a third asked, “Are we on fire, dude?” The video’s abrupt, tense tone captured the passengers’ disbelief and the driverless car’s indifferent, mechanical advance.
Waymo spokesperson J. R. Patel told Fox News Digital that the company “is committed to keeping our riders safe and earning the trust of the communities where we operate.” He added that Waymo is “taking situations like this seriously and is committed to evaluating and learning from these events.” The company has reached out to the riders after the trip to address their concerns.
The San Francisco Fire Department said possession of fireworks, including “Safe and Sane” types, is illegal in the city. While no injuries were reported from the Waymo incident, other fireworks-related incidents on the same day caused a woman’s death and injuries to two adults and a child, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
In the days surrounding the holiday, Waymo vehicles had been disrupted by extreme traffic congestion in northern San Francisco. The company’s roadside assistance teams were on hand to clear vehicles that had stalled with dead batteries after hours of traffic jams. In coordination with local authorities and emergency services, the teams worked quickly to free stranded cars and keep the city moving.
“We prioritize keeping San Francisco moving safely, especially during major city celebrations,” Patel said. “On the Fourth of July, extreme traffic congestion in northern San Francisco disrupted normal operations for several Waymo vehicles. In coordination with local authorities and emergency services, our roadside assistance team worked quickly to clear our vehicles from the area.”
The incident underscores the challenges autonomous vehicles face in unpredictable urban environments, especially when celebratory pyrotechnics create sudden, hazardous conditions. Waymo’s response, the city’s regulations, and the broader conversation about safety and trust in driverless technology will likely be topics of discussion in the coming weeks.
