Angry Crowd's Mob Taxi Burning Ritual: Is It Caused by Safety and Job Crisis?

Google Autonomous Robo-Taxi 'Waymo'
Windows Smashed and Set on Fire by Crowd
"Reflects Backlash Against Safety and Job Threats"

Google's autonomous robo-taxi 'Waymo,' which was operating in San Francisco, USA, was set on fire by a crowd. On the 11th (local time), Insider reported, "Waymo, which was operating in San Francisco's Chinatown area the previous day, was attacked by people." Analysts suggest that this was a reaction to the recent repeated fatal accidents involving autonomous taxis.

A burning Waymo vehicle. [Image source='friscolive415' captured from X (formerly Twitter)]

At the time, the Chinatown streets were reportedly filled with people enjoying fireworks for the Chinese Lunar New Year. According to witnesses, one person jumped onto the hood of Waymo's sport utility vehicle (SUV) while it was driving and broke the front windshield, after which dozens began graffitiing the car and breaking the windows. The footage from the scene showed the vehicle engulfed in flames with a huge pillar of black smoke. One witness described it as "a truly violent situation."

The fire completely destroyed the Waymo vehicle. According to fire authorities, the fire is believed to have started from fireworks thrown inside the vehicle by someone. However, the motive and cause behind the crowd's initial attack on Waymo have not yet been revealed. Waymo stated, "There were no passengers in the car, so no injuries occurred, and we are working closely with authorities to respond to the situation," calling it "the most destructive attack on an unmanned vehicle." Currently, Waymo operates robo-taxis in three cities in the western United States: Phoenix, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

Series of Robo-Taxi Accidents... "Reflecting Public Anger"

Waymo vehicle operating in San Francisco, USA.
Photo by AFP Yonhap News

California authorized the operation of General Motors (GM)'s robo-taxi 'Cruise' and Waymo in San Francisco last August. However, as news of fatal accidents caused by robo-taxis continued to surface, residents' anxiety grew. Previously, Cruise collided with an emergency fire truck and caused serious injuries to a woman at a city intersection, leading to the revocation of its operating permit after a series of accidents.

Waymo also caused an accident on the 6th by hitting a bicycle. The vehicle stopped upon seeing a truck entering an intersection but failed to notice the bicycle following behind the truck and started moving, resulting in a collision. Fortunately, the cyclist sustained only minor injuries. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have launched investigations into the incident.

Previously in San Francisco, there were incidents of people obstructing robo-taxi operations or forcibly climbing onto the vehicles, but this is the first time a vehicle has been set on fire by a group. Foreign media noted, "There have been continuous attacks on unmanned autonomous vehicles," but added, "Considering the severity of this incident, it appears to reflect the growing public anger following last year's fatal accident caused by 'Cruise.'"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.