This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
Alphabet’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Waymo has racked up more than $9,000 in parking fines in Austin since launching its robotaxi service there in 2024, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Waymo vehicles received 83 citations totalling $9,325, with $7,433 already paid and another $1,892 still outstanding as of mid-July. Most of the violations involved parking in tow-away zones, while others included expired meters, double parking and one disabled-parking offence carrying a $519 fine.
Waymo operates fully autonomous ride-hailing vehicles and is expanding across several U.S. cities. The Austin fines are financially insignificant for Alphabet, but they highlight the practical challenges of running driverless vehicles in dense urban areas where stopping, parking and responding to unusual situations can be difficult.
The issue also comes as regulators continue to examine how robotaxis interact with first responders and handle roadside emergencies.
