On Saturday, an unexpected explosion and subsequent fire at a San Francisco substation triggered a citywide blackout. Waymo's self-driving cars, typically known for their seamless operation, came to a standstill after the loss of traffic light signals. This sudden halt directly contributed to traffic congestion. While human drivers managed to navigate intersections in an orderly fashion, relying on mutual understanding and common road sense, these expensive AI-powered autonomous vehicles collectively "played dead," their hazard lights blinking continuously. This incident laid bare a systemic crash vulnerability in the technology.
