Waymo Vandalism: LA Protests & Autonomous Vehicle Damage
- Amidst protests in Los Angeles against federal immigration raids, at least six Waymo self-driving cars have been damaged, according to a company representative.
- Videos circulating online showed people damaging the autonomous vehicles, including smashing windshields and setting the cars ablaze.
- The LAPD cautioned on social media that burning lithium-ion batteries release toxic gases, such as hydrogen fluoride, posing risks to responders and those nearby.
Protests in Los Angeles led to the vandalism of at least six Waymo self-driving cars, prompting a temporary service suspension in the downtown area. These incidents, which included fire damage, have raised safety concerns, especially due to the toxic gases released by burning lithium-ion batteries. The LAPD issued warnings about these potential hazards. News directory 3 reports that Waymo is cooperating with law enforcement to assess the damage and ensure passenger safety. the motive behind the targeting of these autonomous vehicles, and the resulting damage to the primary_keyword, is currently under examination. We’re also seeing an increase in secondary_keyword attacks. Discover what’s next for Waymo’s operations in light of these events.
waymo Self-Driving Cars Targeted During Los Angeles Protests
Updated June 10, 2025
Amidst protests in Los Angeles against federal immigration raids, at least six Waymo self-driving cars have been damaged, according to a company representative. The incidents included vandalism and vehicles being set on fire.
Videos circulating online showed people damaging the autonomous vehicles, including smashing windshields and setting the cars ablaze. Some Lime electric scooters were also vandalized. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) issued warnings about potential toxin exposure from burning electric batteries.
The LAPD cautioned on social media that burning lithium-ion batteries release toxic gases, such as hydrogen fluoride, posing risks to responders and those nearby. Waymo’s robotaxis are all electric vehicles.
A Waymo spokesman stated that no riders or employees were harmed, as passengers had exited the vehicles before the vandalism occurred. the company temporarily suspended its service in downtown Los Angeles on Monday but continued operations in the broader Los Angeles area.
“Out of an abundance of caution given the recent activity, we removed vehicles from Downtown Los Angeles and will not be serving that specific area of LA at the moment,” the Waymo spokesman said. He added that the company is collaborating with the LAPD and other authorities to assess the situation.
The motive behind targeting Waymo cars and Lime scooters remains unclear. It is possible the vehicles were simply in the wrong place as protests escalated.The LAPD referred inquiries to Waymo and could not confirm if incident reports were filed. Neither Waymo nor Lime commented on the estimated damage costs. Analysts estimate that Waymo’s Jaguar I-pace SUVs, equipped with specialized radar and lidar, cost between $150,000 and $200,000 each.
Waymo also reported a separate vandalism incident in San Francisco,where anti-ICE protests are ongoing.
Caught in the crosshairs
Self-driving vehicles have been targeted before. Past incidents include tire slashing and fireworks being thrown into vehicles. In a previous incident, a man with a hatchet chased self-driving Cruise taxis in San francisco, sometimes with passengers inside.
President Trump deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles on Saturday. Protests involved clashes with police, vandalized dumpsters, and looting, as documented by the LAPD on social media. By Monday, protests had lessened, though a large group still marched downtown.
Waymo, which operates in San francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and plans to launch in Austin and Miami, is the only robotaxi company offering commercial operations in multiple markets. tesla plans a limited robotaxi service launch in Austin this month with 10 to 20 vehicles. Waymo reported surpassing 10 million paid rides near the end of May.
What’s next
Waymo is working with authorities to assess the damage and plans to resume service in downtown Los Angeles when it is indeed safe to do so. The company remains committed to providing self-driving transportation options in the region.