Waymo has suspended its driverless car services in Atlanta and Texas after one of its autonomous vehicles became stranded by flooding during heavy rains. The severe weather is expected to disrupt travel across a large portion of the United States over the holiday weekend.
Severe Weather Warnings
The National Weather Service warned that severe thunderstorms, accompanied by large hail and gusty winds, were possible on Friday in Texas and other parts of the Southern and Central Plains. Forecasters also predicted potential flash flooding along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana on Saturday, with rain and thunderstorms anticipated across much of the central and eastern U.S.
Waymo Vehicle Stranded
On Wednesday, a Waymo vehicle became stuck during a downpour in Atlanta that flooded streets and even a section of a downtown highway. The vehicle was unoccupied at the time and was later recovered, according to a company statement. At least one other Waymo vehicle was also affected by the storm.
Waymo currently operates autonomous ride-hailing services exclusively in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, as well as in several cities in Texas. In response to the forecasted severe weather, the company decided to pause services in Texas "out of an abundance of caution," as stated in their announcement.
