San Francisco mayor Daniel Lurie is at odds with the tech industry over concerns that self-driving cars pose a significant risk to public safety. In response to a prolonged traffic jam caused by a rogue robotaxi in San Francisco, Lurie announced yesterday that he wants state regulators to impose stricter regulations on Waymo, the company behind the autonomous vehicles.
Waymo's CEO, Sam Morstall, has been tight-lipped about the incident, but sources close to the matter say it was likely a malfunction that caused the car to drive for hours into gridlocked traffic. While Lurie is willing to give Waymo the benefit of the doubt, many are skeptical about the company's ability to prevent such incidents in the future.
Lurie has called on state regulators to require Waymo and other self-driving car companies to adhere to stricter safety protocols, including regular software updates and testing procedures. "We need to ensure that these vehicles are safe for everyone," Lurie said. "The public deserves better than a robotaxi that can cause accidents." The mayor's comments have been met with skepticism by some in the tech industry, who say it's too early to impose such strict regulations on companies like Waymo that are still in the early stages of development.