Waymo has suspended service in downtown Los Angeles after multiple autonomous vehicles were set ablaze on Sunday amid protests against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
A company spokesperson confirmed to affiliate KTLA that Waymo won’t be serving DTLA but will still operate in other areas of Los Angeles.
Waymo responded with guidance from the Los Angeles Police Department, the spokesperson said.
According to a 2024 report by the Wall Street Journal, analysts estimated that Waymo’s driverless cars cost between $150,000 and $200,000 each.
With the five burning robotaxis, the cost of damages would amount to roughly between $750,000 to $1 million, based on WSJ’s estimate.
The protests erupted on Friday after Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted raids in the city and surrounding communities. Demonstrations were largely peaceful, but tensions flared Saturday and Sunday.
