Should SF’s emergency management plans be completely hauled over now that we know how Waymos might act and how PG&E systems are connected in odd ways across disconnected neighborhoods? Recent problems with the supposedly autonomous vehicles have been prodded in every publication from Good Morning America to Driving, shining a spotlight on the ugly reality of San Francisco as a testing ground for emerging technologies.
When Waymos stopped and blocked traffic all over San Francisco during the Christmas Blackouts of 2025, it proved right a long held fear that these vehicles really aren’t all that smart. It’s a suspicion reasonable of any driver who has been forced to share the road with one. But that consternation, that unease may not go far enough.
In an article published in Scientific American in June, an analysis revealed a hidden danger in the lithium-ion battery packs ubiquitous in not only Waymos, but also less sophisticated Cyber Trucks and other EVs. Those of us in the field of compliance and hazard management understand immediately the need for exquisite care when handling these batteries, which can and have caused deadly fires. A simple thing like a lithium-powered electric scooter can burn up a home rapidly.
House fires are the least of our worries; many of the lithium-ion batteries in the Bay Area are not contained to homes, but roaming the streets of San Francisco. They silently prowl along aging infrastructure, and in a fire they won’t just be a 5,000 pound roadblock. They’ll be a ticking time bomb.
Thermal Runaways
The problem, of course, lies in communication. Ain’t that always the case? For eons, humans have fumbled with our tongues and hands to convey what we mean. A writer might type one thing and leave the audience with a completely different impression of the situation. Thus, we must turn to science.
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Waymos use electronic batteries to run their machinery. These batteries use lithium-ion pouch-cells. They are particularly vulnerable to thermal runaway, when one overheating cell triggers its neighbors. It’s a fancy technical term for a positive feedback loop; fire begets fire.
When they burn, the fire gets so hot that it can rapidly reach 1000 degrees Celsius. Friend, that’s fucking HOT. That’s Lava from a Volcano hot. In Los Angeles, flaming Waymos literally burned a hole in the road. And they released something equally terrifying: hydrogen fluoride. If you inhale enough of it, you will die from your lungs filling with fluid. Not to mention the new Pink Tax!
Gif by jasonclarke on Giphy
Back to communication: Waymo has powered through a PR cycle, putting out stories about a simple (and very human error) causing the blackout kerfuffle two weeks ago. When the vehicles stuck in clusters along our streets, they were often near dead traffic signals. These should be treated like a four-way stop sign, but the Waymos had to ping humans to navigate the treacherous situation. Communication was at the heart of it, according to them.
But communication will also be at the heart of what happens next. In the event of an extreme event, such as an earthquake, the Department of Emergency Management will enact several protocols that ensure we are (relatively) safe while The City sorts itself out.
The protocols are available for perusal. They involve everything from handling a disaster in the moment to taking care of the inevitable mountains of debris left from anything major, like the Big One. But the frightening thing is the last time they were updated. The plans, from 2022, list major companies who will work closely with the City and County of San Francisco. Guess who is missing from the list?
There’s a rumor that it took a phone call from Mayor Daniel Lurie to Waymo to ask them to please remove their cars from the roads while everything got sorted out. Should we really be governing by phone call from the Mayor’s bedchambers? Especially when the Mayor’s office chose to break the law by protecting phone call records under bogus Attorney Client Privilege in news reported in Mission Local on December 18?
Waymo is a new technology. They’re still figuring their shit out. But it’s literally our government’s job to use our taxes to keep us safe, not to let huge corporations troubleshoot in real time. If Waymos burn holes in our roads (or in your kid’s lungs), who is going to hold them accountable? The guys who are wagging their fingers at PG&E for fucking up Christmas? Not without some serious people pressure.
