In a recent incident in San Francisco’s Mission District, a Waymo autonomous vehicle was involved in a collision that tragically resulted in the death of a neighborhood cat named Kit Kat. This event has reignited discussions on the safety protocols of self-driving cars.
Following Kit Kat’s demise, the community expressed grief by setting up a memorial shrine in his honor. The incident has prompted contrasting opinions within the neighborhood, with some residents criticizing Waymo’s technology while others highlighting the risks associated with human drivers.
Jackie Fielder, a representative of the Mission District on SF’s Board of Supervisors, referenced the cat’s death in advocating for a proposed city resolution. The resolution aims to empower local voters to determine the permissibility of driverless cars operating in their vicinity. Fielder emphasized the challenges of holding autonomous systems accountable compared to human drivers.
Waymo, whose co-CEO recently discussed safety at a Disrupt event, characterized the incident as an unforeseen circumstance where the cat swiftly crossed the vehicle’s path. The company expressed condolences to the cat’s owner and the affected community.
Source: TechCrunch