Alphabet-owned robotaxi firm Waymo is limiting service as a result of Saturday’s scheduled nationwide “No Kings” protests in opposition to 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 solely 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 in opposition to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, 5 Waymo autos had been set on hearth and spray painted with anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) messages. In response, Waymo suspended service in downtown LA.
Whereas it’s not solely clear why protestors focused the autos, they might be seen as a surveillance software, as police departments have requested robotaxi footage for his or her 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 in opposition to a constructing.”