Are robotaxis the future? Or instead, the past?
Are robotaxis the future? Or instead, the past?
Waymo is fortunate to have a better reputation than the rest, but their incident rate is still not acceptable…
While the title is correct, we do need to change course, the opinion piece is just another tech fantasy. The truth is that the data show that the solution for safety is clearly better designed streets and better safety policies. Simply look at Europe to see how safety can be greatly improved through street design, not robotaxis.
Waymo involved in yet another crash, this one killing a dog. The vehicles are clearly not the answer when it comes to improving safety.
SF Chronicle reports on on Supervisor Jackie Fielder of San Francisco is trying to push for state legislation to allow local control of robotaxis. This was motivated by Waymo killing a beloved bodega cat.
KRON reports that Waymo acknowledges that one of their robotaxis struck and killed a beloved cat. But hey, they promise to make a donation to an unrelated cause.
SF Standard reports that a Waymo robotaxi ran over and killed a beloved bodega cat. Apparently this was to even the score after a Waymo killed a dog back in '23.
TechCrunch covers how Waymo wants to arrest people who vandalize Waymo vehicles. Meanwhile they kill pets with impunity.
Phil Koopman, leading authority on AV safety, reports on how Waymo has finally backed off of their unsupported claim that their robotaxis reduce fatalities
kGW8 reports that once again, Waymos simply do not follow laws. This time it passed a school bus that had its stop sign out and lights obviously flashing red.
SF Chronicle reports that since a Waymo robotaxi made an illegal U-turn it was pulled over by the police. Unfortunately robotaxis cannot be given tickets currently.
SF Standard reports on doing a race between a Tesla and a Waymo. The Waymo of course won. But remarkably, this is proof that Tesla is actually running a TNC system in San Francisco without the needed TNC permit.
SF Chronicle reports that Waymo robotaxis will be serving San Jose airport
Tim Redmond of 48hills reports on how the SFMTA Board has completely handed its authority over to the mayor, illegally.
Susan Vaughan reports in 48hills that SF Mayor Lurie is both gutting transit and subverting the political process in trying to bring Waymos, Ubers, and Lyfts to car-free Market Street.
ABC7 News reports that once again Waymos are a target for people, especially drunk bros in the Marina District. Nothing new there. But the odd thing is that ABC7 News included short interview with Selika Josiah Talbott who unfortunately doesn't understand AI nor how AVs are trained.
A short video clip showing how on 8/30/25 a Waymo clanker and a Muni bus got into an altercation. And it was due to poor driving ability of the Waymo.
