Crowd units Waymo self-driving automobile ablaze in San Francisco

A crowd vandalized a Waymo self-driving automobile and set it on hearth by throwing a firework contained in the automobile in San Francisco on Saturday, mentioned Waymo, which is owned by Alphabet.

This isn’t the primary time individuals have attacked a self-driving automobile, however the severity of the incident might illustrate rising public hostility towards self-driving vehicles following a pedestrian-dragging accident final yr involving a self-driving automobile operated by General Motors‘ Cruise unit.

Waymo mentioned that round 9 p.m. native time on Saturday (0500 GMT Sunday), somebody in a crowd broke a automobile window and threw a firework inside, setting the automobile ablaze. Waymo didn’t say what brought on the gang to assault the automobile.

Video footage on social media confirmed the electrical automobile burning, sending up an enormous plume of black smoke.

“The vehicle was not transporting any riders and no injuries have been reported. We are working closely with local safety officials to respond to the situation,” the corporate mentioned.

The San Francisco hearth division mentioned it turned over the case to the police who have been investigating the reason for the assault.

The hearth division on social media posted photos of the charred stays of the automobile, together with saying {that a} firework contained in the automobile began the blaze. The San Francisco police division was not instantly obtainable for remark.

Final week, a driverless Waymo automobile collided with a bicycle owner in San Francisco, inflicting minor accidents and the incident is being reviewed by the state’s auto regulator.

On Oct. 2, a pedestrian hit by one other automobile was thrown into the trail of a self-driving Cruise automobile and dragged 20 ft (6 meters).

California suspended the corporate’s driverless testing license, and Cruise pulled all its U.S. self-driving automobiles from testing.