Several Waymo autonomous taxis were set on fire during protests in downtown Los Angeles as tensions flared between demonstrators and police. The protests, sparked by immigration raids ordered by President Donald Trump, led to violent clashes over the weekend. The dramatic scenes of burning vehicles and thick black smoke filled the air on Sunday, capturing the intensity of the unrest.
Waymo, a subsidiary of Google’s parent company Alphabet, has temporarily suspended its ride-hailing service in downtown Los Angeles. A company spokesperson stated that the decision was made “out of an abundance of caution.” The company is coordinating with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) to ensure safety.
The protests began on Friday and escalated over the weekend. By Sunday, the National Guard had been deployed to the city following President Trump’s order to quell the protests. California Governor Gavin Newsom has criticized the deployment, calling it unlawful and requesting its rescission. According to IoT World Today, the LAPD declared a portion of Los Angeles Street an unlawful assembly and closed it indefinitely after multiple autonomous vehicles were set on fire.
Waymo operates its self-driving taxis using electric Jaguar I-PACE cars and has been active in Los Angeles since 2023. The company completes over 250,000 paid trips weekly across major U.S. cities and plans to expand to other locations in 2026.
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