Waymos ran into trouble during yet another a major San Francisco event, with apparently dozens of the robotaxis disrupted by gridlock from the city’s Fourth of July celebration — and one driving directly through an exploding firework. A video circulating on social media shows a Waymo rolling into a detonating firework in a Mission District intersection, with colorful smoke visible around the white vehicle and a passenger asking whether the car was on fire (opens in new tab). Waymo told CBS (opens in new tab) that no injuries were reported, that the vehicle was unscathed, and that the company reached out to check on the rider. Gridlock and congestion during the holiday celebrations caused broader problems for the fleet. Waymos were reported blocking roadways elsewhere in the city, and the snarled traffic left some cars stuck for hours. A few ran out of power and had to be towed. Clips of the stalled cars and the firework encounter quickly made the rounds online, drawing thousands of reactions and reigniting a debate over whether San Francisco’s streets are ready for driverless cars during major events. One user said he was trapped behind Waymos for four hours by the Palace of Fine Arts. Another said his kids were stranded for just as long until tow trucks arrived to load up the idled robotaxis. Waymo operates 577 robotaxis and provides roughly 500,000 paid rides a week across 10 cities. In a statement, the company said: “extreme traffic congestion in northern San Francisco disrupted normal operations for several Waymo vehicles,” and that its roadside assistance team worked with local authorities to clear vehicles from the area. A Waymo spokesperson said the company’s priority “is keeping San Francisco moving safely, especially during major city celebrations,” and that its team “worked quickly to clear our vehicles