Backlash over dead cat turns into movement to allow local bans of self-driving cars

Autonomous vehicle company Waymo is in hot water after one of its self-driving taxis ran over a beloved San Francisco bodega cat.

KitKat was killed beneath a Waymo car in San Francisco’s Mission District in late October, sparking public outrage, including a decorated memorial for the cat.

City Supervisor Jackie Fielder has called for legislation to regulate self-driving vehicles, specifically allowing counties to vote on whether to ban them.

Waymo said in a statement that the cat “darted under our vehicle as it was pulling away,” and expressed its “deepest sympathies to the cat’s owner and the community who knew and loved him.”

Aside from Ms. Fielder’s proposed city resolution, California currently regulates autonomous vehicles by requiring various state permits. 

Other city officials appear to view the company more favorably. 

In August, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie announced that Waymo would start using Market Street, the city’s main street — a move met by public opposition.

KitKat’s death made way for broader complaints about self-driving cars.

The company has also been rebuked for causing congestion, undermining public transit and eliminating jobs for people.

Waymo says in a company research paper that its autonomous cars result in fewer serious crashes than human drivers.

“Waymo thinks that they can just sweep this under the rug and we will all forget, but here in Mission, we will never forget our sweet KitKat. We will always put community before tech oligarchs, and California should do the same,” Ms. Fielder said on social media.