San Francisco to Probe Waymo's Role in Fourth of July Traffic Chaos

San Francisco Supervisor Bilal Mahmood plans a two-week inquiry asking city agencies how autonomous vehicles, including Waymo, affected transit service, emergency response, and egress during the Fourth of July fireworks turnout that exceeded expectations. Residents reported a robotaxi gridlock and long delays; Waymo said some vehicles were stalled or towed, while Muni officials apologized and noted the event’s northwestern location constrained transit. The inquiry targets Emergency Management, Fire, and MTA to determine what could be done better for future large events.