Rioters Torch Waymo Self-Driving Taxis in Downtown L.A.

Rioters are targeting Waymo autonomous vehicles in Los Angeles, with several driverless taxis set and fire or vandalized on Sunday.

The Los Angeles Times reports that as chaos erupted in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday with leftists defending rioters and claiming “there is no emergency,” self-driving taxis made by Google’s Waymo emerged as a specific target for vandalism and arson.

Earlier in the day, rioters converged on the Civic Center area, with some spilling onto the 101 Freeway around 3:30 p.m., causing its closure for several hours. California Highway Patrol officers worked to push the crowd back, detaining several in the process. As the situation intensified, a group of rioters turned their attention to five Waymo taxis parked on Los Angeles Street between Arcadia and Alameda streets.

Witnesses reported seeing protesters slash tires, smash windows, and spray-paint anti-ICE messages on the autonomous vehicles. The scene quickly escalated as three of the five targeted Waymo taxis were set ablaze, sending plumes of black smoke billowing into the air. Some protesters were seen using skateboards to break car windows, while others appeared to use makeshift flamethrowers to ignite the vehicles’ interiors.

As the Waymo taxis burned, protesters threw Lime electric scooters into the fiery wreckage, adding to the chaos. The besieged vehicles began honking their horns adding to the noise of rioters chanting and the whirring of police helicopters overhead. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the vehicle fires, while the Los Angeles Police Department warned people to stay away from the area due to the toxic gases released by burning lithium-ion batteries.

Waymo, a subsidiary of Google, has been operating its fleet of electric, self-driving taxis in Los Angeles since November, following successful launches in San Francisco and Phoenix. The company stated that it was in contact with law enforcement regarding the incident in downtown L.A. and expressed concern for the safety of its passengers and the general public. The vandalism and destruction of the Waymo taxis during the protest have raised questions about the vulnerability of autonomous vehicles to targeted attacks and the potential risks associated with their widespread deployment.

Breitbart News previously reported on Waymo robotaxis being targeted in San Francisco, with passengers, mostly women,o feeling terrorized by hoodlums menacing them:

In recent months, several Waymo passengers, mostly women, have reported incidents in which their driverless rides were followed, obstructed, or even approached by individuals attempting to enter the vehicle. These encounters have left riders feeling vulnerable and exposed, as the absence of a human driver has made it difficult for them to quickly change routes or seek assistance.

Stephanie, a San Francisco tech worker, recounted a frightening experience in which a car carrying several young men followed her Waymo vehicle late one evening, with the occupants honking and yelling inappropriate comments. Unable to instruct the robotaxi to change its route and avoid leading the pursuers to her home, Stephanie called 911, only to be told that the police could not send a car to a moving vehicle.

Other riders have shared similar stories, including encounters with pedestrians who have attempted to enter driverless vehicles at red lights and individuals who have deliberately obstructed the path of Waymo cars. While the company maintains that such incidents are extremely rare, they underscore the challenges of programming autonomous vehicles to respond to the unpredictable nature of human behavior.

Read more at the Los Angeles Times here.

Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.