Waymo Taxis in Blackouts: Can AVs Handle Quakes? December 23
Waymo taxis are under the spotlight after the San Francisco blackout raised hard questions about autonomous vehicle safety in power cuts and earthquakes. For UK investors, this matters because resilience drives approvals, costs, and rollout pace in big cities. Today, 23 December, we look at how outages and quakes could test robotaxis, the likely regulatory response, and what this could mean for long‑term margins and deployment plans in dense urban markets similar to London and Manchester.
What outages reveal about AV operations
Autonomous cars carry compute and sensors that can work without the cloud, but fleets still rely on connectivity for dispatch, updates, and support. In a wide power cut, dark junctions, faulty signals, and blocked streets raise risk. Waymo taxis would likely default to slow driving or safe stops to protect passengers and road users, as highlighted by fresh scrutiny after the outage reported by the New York Times.
If mobile networks degrade, trip assignment and remote support get harder, reducing throughput and citywide service quality. Vehicles can complete rides, but more conservative behavior cuts capacity and increases wait times. During the San Francisco blackout, power availability varied by area, creating uneven traffic loads, according to the SF Standard. That environment complicates routing choices and incident response for any large robotaxi fleet.
Grid stress can idle fast chargers, raising downtime and logistics costs. Operators may need battery buffers, depot generators, or microgrids to keep vehicles moving. These measures add capital spending and maintenance, which can lift cost per mile in pounds for UK‑style urban operations. Investors should model lower peak availability and higher contingency costs during outages, plus potential penalties under city service-level commitments.
Earthquake scenarios and safety protocols
Earthquakes create fast-changing hazards: debris, lane shifts, and signal failures. Where early warning systems exist, vehicles could receive alerts and slow or pull over. Even without alerts, conservative planning would prioritise stopping in a safe spot. For Waymo taxis, the key is a consistent rule set: reduce speed, avoid structures at risk, and yield to emergency services until the road state is verified.
Post-quake, safe routing needs quick blocks on bridges, tunnels, and steep grades until inspections finish. Digital maps would need rapid updates to reflect closures and hazards. Fleet-level policies should set no-go zones and reroute to well-lit, open areas. Waymo taxis would also need to handle four-way stops at dark signals and give priority to responders and utility crews managing the incident.
Clear passenger messaging is vital. In a serious event, vehicles should slow, pull to the kerb, and either continue carefully or end the trip safely. Riders must have simple options to exit, contact support, or request rebooking. For accessibility, policies should ensure help for wheelchair users and visually impaired passengers if a ride is halted due to quake damage or blocked streets.
Regulatory and investment implications for the UK
The UK’s Automated Vehicles Act 2024 sets the framework for approvals and operator duties. We expect regulators to probe power-cut and earthquake playbooks, minimum safe operating design domains, and proof that vehicles behave safely at dark junctions. A documented resilience plan and event reporting will likely be core to any city-scale approval of Waymo taxis or similar services.
City partners may require backup charging, depot resilience, and uptime guarantees. That could mean battery storage, site generators, and priority repair plans with networks. These add fixed costs but reduce lost mileage in outages. Investors should model higher insurance, contingency staffing, and spares. Margins will depend on how well fleets keep utilisation high when signals fail or roads are partially closed.
Key signs include updated safety cases, results from blackout drills, and third‑party audits of autonomous vehicle safety. We also look for fleet telemetry showing performance at dark signals, and commitments to backup power at depots. Any delays in permits, or stricter operating windows after the San Francisco blackout, would signal slower scaling and higher near‑term costs.
Final Thoughts
For investors in autonomous mobility, resilience is now a core thesis, not a footnote. The San Francisco blackout shows that large city outages push robotaxis into complex edge cases: dark junctions, patchy networks, and strained charging. In earthquakes, rules for safe stopping, rerouting, and passenger care will decide public trust. The UK’s framework is set to ask for hard evidence on these points before allowing scale. Our take: value operators that publish clear outage and quake playbooks, commit to backup power at depots, and prove conservative, consistent behavior at failed signals. Expect near‑term cost pressure, but also a clearer path to approvals where resilience is demonstrated. That is how Waymo taxis, or any peer, can earn city trust and protect long‑run margins.
FAQs
They can operate on onboard sensors and compute, but service quality can drop if mobile networks or traffic signals fail. Expect slower driving, safe stops in some areas, and longer waits. Charging can also be limited if depots or public fast chargers lose power, reducing fleet availability until backup power is in place.
Best practice is to slow down, pull to a safe kerbside spot, and prioritise emergency vehicles. After the shaking, the fleet should block risky routes, avoid bridges and tunnels until cleared, and update maps before resuming normal service. Clear passenger messaging and options to end the trip safely are essential.
Cities should demand a tested resilience plan for outages and quakes, proof of safe behavior at dark signals, backup power for charging, and robust incident reporting. Independent audits and drills, plus service-level commitments, help protect riders and the public while giving regulators confidence to scale permits over time.
Resilience affects approvals, utilisation, and margins. Requirements for backup power, audits, and strict operating rules raise costs but can speed trust and deployment. Investors should track safety cases, results from outage drills, and any permit changes following the San Francisco blackout to judge scaling prospects in UK cities.
Disclaimer:
The content shared by Meyka AI PTY LTD is solely for research and informational purposes. Meyka is not a financial advisory service, and the information provided should not be considered investment or trading advice.
