Google's Waymo blamed for blocking ambulance at Austin's mass shooting sight

Google’s Waymo robotaxi allegedly blocked an ambulance from reaching the scene of a mass shooting in Austin, US, last week. A report cited a bystander video circulating on social media to support this claim.

Now, both Waymo and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) officials have confirmed to Axios that the video shows the company's vehicle obstructing the ambulance near the shooting on West Sixth Street, which is a popular downtown bar district.A Waymo official confirmed to Axios that the vehicle had been en route to pick up a rider in the area when the incident occurred. The video shows the autonomous vehicle stopped and blocking the street as the ambulance attempts to pass.

The car inches forward slowly while a police cruiser pulls up behind it. An Austin police officer then steps out and speaks to the company through the car's speaker system. After at least a minute, the vehicle moves into a nearby parking garage, and the video ends, the report noted.

This incident has renewed questions about how autonomous vehicles respond to unplanned emergency situations and whether the technology is adequately prepared for unpredictable, high-stakes conditions.

What EMS officials said about Waymo robotaxi blocking ambulance

In a statement to Axios, Austin-Travis County EMS spokesperson Capt. Christa Stedman said, "A driverless vehicle was stopped in the area while our crews were responding to this morning's shooting, and it did briefly interfere with access for one ambulance. The officer in the video followed established protocol to address the situation and was able to quickly move the vehicle so ATCEMS units could proceed."In the US, first responders are trained to manage driverless vehicles that become stopped or unresponsive. "This type of scenario is something we prepare for, and it was resolved quickly without a significant impact to patient care or overall response operations," Stedman noted.The incident is not the first time Waymo has faced complaints in Austin and other cities about its vehicles failing to yield to emergency responders. In recent months, the company's cars have also drawn scrutiny for illegally passing Austin school district buses, and Waymo issued a voluntary software recall in December 2025 in response to a federal safety probe into that behaviour.Austin has become a notable testing ground for autonomous vehicles, with riders in the city able to book a Waymo taxi through the Uber app. The company has been expanding its robotaxi operations across the US, adding Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando to its network last week.