Alphabet-owned robotaxi firm Waymo is limiting service as a consequence of Saturday’s scheduled nationwide “No Kings” protests towards President Donald Trump and his insurance policies.
A Waymo spokesperson confirmed the changes to Wired on Friday. Service is reportedly affected in San Francisco, Austin, Atlanta, and Phoenix, and is fully suspended in Los Angeles. It’s not clear how lengthy the restricted service will final.
As a part of protests final weekend in Los Angeles towards the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, five Waymo vehicles were set on fire and spray painted with anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) messages. In response, Waymo suspended service in downtown LA.
Whereas it’s not fully clear why protestors focused the automobiles, they could be seen as a surveillance software, as police departments have requested robotaxi footage for their investigations prior to now. (Waymo says it challenges requests that it sees as overly broad or missing a authorized foundation.)
In accordance with the San Francisco Chronicle, the city’s fire chief told officials Wednesday that “in a interval of civil unrest, we is not going to attempt to extinguish these fires until they’re up towards a constructing.”