Waymo is arguably the closest thing to flying cars we have in 2025. However, how cool it is, that doesn’t mean it’s foolproof. Or in this case, rainproof. As a resident of Phoenix, AZ, myself, it can be scary when it starts pouring rain, especially since parts of the Valley are low-lying. Fast-forward to a few days ago, and Reddit started popping off with posts about Waymo’s drowning themselves on the side of the road, and honestly, same. Autonomous cars do have the freedom to drive into a puddle and then shut off, and thanks to my fellow Phoenicians, we get an all-access view. Weather-proofing an EV sounds unlikely, but perhaps someone at Waymo HQ could consider a precipitation function or mode so that unlucky riders aren’t stuck in their car, in the rain, in a flooded area.
The Day It Rained In Phoenix, AZ, And Every Waymo Died
There once was a time when Waymo ruled the roads of metro and suburban Phoenix. This empire of autonomous Jaguars filled with tipsy passengers and Uber/Lyft-avoidant residents fell on a fateful day in September, all thanks to record rain and flash flooding. This past Friday and weekend, the broader Phoenix area experienced huge amounts of rainfall, accompanied by accidents, damage, and, most importantly, drowned Waymos. I, for one, did catch two going into puddles on my way home that afternoon, and when I got home, the first thing that was on my mind was Reddit and you all.
Waymo Is Always The Butt Of The Joke, But This Time It’s Deserved
I’m not sure if I’m the only one who feels empathy for non-sentient objects, but I do. Waymo is minorly embarrassing in theory, and it tends to be people’s go-to robo-taxi one-liner. When it rained last week here in the Valley of the Sun (lies), these cabs all decided to find the nearest, deepest puddle and make it a temporary parking spot, and for that, I’m impressed. Waymo’s in the rain doesn’t sound like a GREAT thing, but it doesn’t sound nearly as bad as it proved to be during this freak storm.
Imagine Waymo’s In A Tropical Or Sub-Tropical Market…
If there’s something that I do want to touch on here, it’s that if Waymo is unable to work around a surprise rainstorm, how would it do long-term in a climate where this type of thing always happens? The current Waymo markets include Phoenix, AZ; San Francisco; Los Angeles; Austin; and Atlanta. There are more cities on the future list, including Miami, which kind of brings my left eyebrow higher than the other.
Rain happens, a lot in some places, so Waymo vehicles not being able to detect a clearly flooded roadway isn’t a kink to let tighten. Whatever happens the next time a Waymo encounters bad weather, let’s just hope the rider is all right and ready to sit back and read a book until help arrives. Ugh. Phoenix, we love the rain, just not the flash floods and Waymo drowning!