The fire chief of San Francisco has issued a warning against the widespread deployment of self-driving taxis in the city, stating that they are not yet ready for widespread use. The chief cited numerous incidents in which autonomous vehicles obstructed fire engines and blocked roads during emergencies, causing significant challenges for emergency responders.
In 2023 alone, the San Francisco police department reported nearly 40 instances of robotaxis impeding the work of the fire department. These incidents included cars blocking important routes, such as one-way streets and firehouse driveways, forcing fire trucks to take alternative routes to reach their destinations.
Some notable incidents garnered media attention, such as a Cruise robotaxi that appeared to idle for several minutes at the scene of a mass shooting in June. Additionally, a firefighter reportedly had to break the window of a Cruise vehicle in January to prevent it from driving over hoses being used to extinguish a house fire.
Cruise, a company controlled by General Motors, denied intentionally obstructing emergency personnel during the shooting incident and stated that their vehicle had initially stopped as it approached the scene before pulling over to allow all vehicles, including emergency response vehicles, to pass.
These incidents have become more frequent since June 2022, when Cruise received approval from state officials to launch its driverless ride-hailing service on specific streets in San Francisco. In April, the company obtained permission to operate throughout the city around the clock.
Other companies, such as Waymo (a Google spinoff) and Zoox (owned by Amazon), have also sought approval to operate autonomous vehicles in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, there have been nearly 70 reports of collisions involving autonomous vehicles in the state this year. One such incident in San Francisco involved a Waymo vehicle operating in autonomous mode but with an employee in the front seat striking and killing a dog.
While there have been no reported deaths or serious injuries resulting from robotaxis obstructing emergency crews, San Francisco's fire chief, Jeanine Nicholson, expressed concerns about the potential consequences. She urged the state to proceed with caution, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the current issues before allowing the widespread use of self-driving vehicles throughout the city.
Nicholson clarified that her concerns were not against the technology itself but rather the need to address and rectify the existing challenges and shortcomings before fully unleashing autonomous vehicles on the streets of San Francisco.
Join the conversation!
0 comment