A line of white Waymo self-driving SUVs driving single file down a tree-lined residential street with a 'Dead End' sign visible.
A line of white Waymo self-driving SUVs driving single file down a tree-lined residential street with a 'Dead End' sign visible.

Business By June

This glitch shows how software decisions can disrupt quiet neighborhoods, useful context for a colleague or friend following smart city tech.

Empty Waymo robotaxis trapped in loop Story flow and key facts

Residents in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood were startled when dozens of unoccupied Waymo self-driving SUVs repeatedly entered and turned around on Battleview Drive, a quiet residential cul-de-sac. Video footage captured the vehicles — modified Jaguar I-PACE electric SUVs — driving in a continuous loop, likely due to a routing error. Waymo confirmed the incident and stated it was working with its fleet partner to correct the behavior. The company acknowledged that while its vehicles stage in high-demand areas to improve response times, this should not come at the expense of community comfort.

Facts

  • On May 15, 2026, dozens of unoccupied Waymo robotaxis repeatedly entered and turned around on Battleview Drive, a dead-end street in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood.
  • The incident was caused by a routing error, according to Waymo, which admitted the behavior should not disrupt residents.
  • Waymo confirmed it is working with its fleet partner to fix the routing issue and prevent future occurrences.

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