Passengers in a Waymo driverless taxi were left frightened when the autonomous vehicle drove directly into lit fireworks in the middle of a San Francisco street during Fourth of July celebrations over the weekend. The incident, captured on video that has since circulated widely, adds to ongoing scrutiny of driverless vehicles and how they respond to unexpected hazards in busy urban settings.

Footage shows the car approaching explosives placed in the road just as they were about to launch, with a bystander apparently waving at the vehicle to stop and passengers pleading, "No, no, no, don't go." The car then passed over the sparks and flames, prompting one rider to ask, "Are we on fire, dude?" No injuries to passengers or damage to the vehicle were reported, and Waymo said it reached out to the riders afterwards. A spokesperson said the company takes such situations seriously and is committed to learning from them. Possessing fireworks is illegal in San Francisco, and in a separate incident that weekend one woman was killed and three others injured in a fireworks explosion.