KitKat, liquor store mascot and '16th St. ambassador,' killed, allegedly by Waymo. Neighbors blame autonomous vehicle.

[Auggie]

3. UPDATE: SF city supervisor wants driverless car reform

The resolution that Supervisor Jackie Fielder planned to introduce Tuesday would urge state leaders to change how this ride-hail technology is regulated, by enabling local governments to put the matter to voters.

“Here in the Mission, we will never forget our sweet KitKat — we will always put community before tech oligarchs,” Fielder said in an Instagram reel, in which she blasted Waymo not only for killing an animal, but for causing congestion, collecting users’ data and undermining public transit.

Inspired by a moribund state Senate bill that would have allowed for local control of robotaxis, Fielder’s resolution illustrates a renewed skepticism of the vehicles, which have become embedded in San Francisco’s landscape. As Waymo expands to cities across the country, other companies — including Zoox, Tesla and Uber — are jockeying for position in the Bay Area market.

Currently, companies need to secure six state permits from the Department of Motor Vehicles and the California Public Utilities Commission before they can provide passenger service in vehicles that are run entirely by sensors and software, with no human at the wheel. If the state were to empower voters to bar vehicles from individual counties, it would be much more difficult for these companies to create a regional network. Such county-by-county restrictions could also disrupt service to major hubs, like the San Francisco International Airport.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/waymo-killed-cat-21136038.php

From the link: Fielder has already drawn support from the Teamsters, who are wary of the threat that AVs pose to professional human drivers.

YES! END THIS MADNESS NOW!