Waymo is moving swiftly to address issues with its self-driving vehicles as driverless systems gain momentum with the growth of the robotaxi business.
The details: Following a power outage in San Francisco that left its self-driving vehicles stalled on the streets, Waymo is now taking steps to address the issue, reports Reuters.
The robotaxi company will update software used to operate its vehicles and improve its emergency response protocols, following the outage that knocked out power in about a third of the city.
Waymo said its vehicles are designed to handle dark traffic signals at four-way stops but might occasionally request a confirmation check.
What they’re saying: "While we successfully traversed more than 7,000 dark signals on Saturday, the outage created a concentrated spike in these requests," Waymo said. "This created a backlog that, in some cases, led to response delays contributing to congestion on already-overwhelmed streets."
Why it matters: As robotaxis scale, more consumers will encounter “self-driving” in the real world, and bring expectations, questions, and concerns straight to dealerships. That puts stores and service departments on the hook for educating buyers on what today’s systems can (and can’t) do, and for handling the downstream service work that comes with tech-heavy vehicles: sensor checks, ADAS calibrations, software-related diagnostics, and collision repairs that require specialized procedures and equipment.
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Between the lines: The robotaxi business continues to grow, as more companies transition from the testing and pilot phase to commercial rollouts in urban centers around the world, including several markets in the U.S.
Waymo announced in November that it will expand its services to Las Vegas, San Diego, and Detroit in 2026.
Amazon said in November that its self-driving arm Zoox will start offering free rides to a select number of users in parts of San Francisco.
Tesla launched a limited paid robotaxi rollout in Austin, Texas, in June, using Model Y SUVs within a restricted city area and a safety monitor onboard.
MarketsandMarkets predicts that the global robotaxi fleet will expand to 900,000 vehicles on the road by 2035, reaching a market value of around $100 billion, with the U.S. robotaxi market growing from over 2,200 self-driving vehicles currently to more than 250,000 by 2035, reports Fortune.
Bottom line: Dealers don’t need to “sell robotaxis” to feel the impact, but they do need to get ahead of the service and customer-experience shift. Stores that invest in calibration capability, technician training, and clear consumer messaging around driver-assist features will be better positioned to capture higher-value service work, protect CSI, and stay credible as autonomy moves from novelty to mainstream.
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