Waymo’s autonomous taxis are struggling to follow parking restrictions.
The robotaxis were hit with 589 parking tickets in 2024, incurring more than $65,000 in fines, according to data from San Francisco’s Municipal Transportation Agency. The robotaxis routinely violate parking rules by staying in restricted areas such as loading or street cleaning zones, according to the data, first cited by The Washington Post.
They also collected 75 parking tickets in Los Angeles, according to data from the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.
Waymo’s robotaxis began transporting any customer in June in San Francisco and November in Los Angeles. Previously, robotaxi rides were restricted to those on a waiting list. Waymo now has hundreds of robotaxis operating across the two cities and has worked to expand its operational area in the two cities over the past year.
Waymo confirmed that it is aware of the parking fines and will pay the tickets. The company said Its robotaxis will always take the “safest option” when driving customers, adding that sometimes that means staying in a restricted area.
The company said its robotaxis incur most of their parking violations after dropping off a rider. Typically, a robotaxi will pull over and park in a restricted zone during drop-off if the only other option is a busy road or a location far from the customer’s destination.
The robotaxi’s difficulties with parking properly can create safety hazards. Waymo vehicles cost transit workers more than two hours of service time last year due to parking illegally or colliding with transit vehicles, according to data from San Francisco’s Municipal Transportation Agency. First responders also have recorded losing valuable time due to Waymo vehicles blocking traffic.
Parking tickets may be one of the only ways to fine robotaxis in California, at least for now. Under state law, robotaxis are immune from moving violations since tickets must be presented to a human driver. However, law enforcement will be able to issue “notices of autonomous vehicle non-compliance” to self-driving auto companies starting in 2026.
