Waymo’s unmanned taxi caused backup Monday evening with a lively fast food drive-thru in Santa Monica.
A video shared with KTLA shows that a self-driving car stagnant in the middle of the Chick-Fil-A drive-through entrance causes a larger than normal line for waiting customers.
According to Chris Kellogg, it happened at Chick Phil A on Lincoln Boulevard around 9:30pm.
His video showed Chickfil workers standing around a stagnant vehicle that had their hazard lights on before it temporarily and actively backed up and stopped again.
Kellogg said he waited in line for about 30 minutes before being told by a restaurant where only the drive-thru was closed.
Waymo driver Les Taxi was stuck driving through Chickfil in Santa Monica on April 7, 2025. (Chris Kellogg)
Still an advanced technology, Waymo Driverless Taxis, has been turning and confused on the roads after it was first deployed on the streets a few years ago. But ending in a fast food restaurant, let alone a drive-thru line, is an unusual detour.
It is unclear whether someone was inside the car at that time, or whether the taxi was directed at Chick Fill A as part of the fare, or whether it was sensory and necessary for organic matter for fuel, but Waymo confirmed with KTLA that the vehicle was stuck and the “team” had retrieved it from the site.
A spokesperson said the company, a subsidiary of Google’s parent, is “working to continuously improve its services and provide appropriate updates to prevent future events.”
KTLA contacted Chick-Fil-A’s corporate office, but did not receive a response.
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