One would think San Francisco, arguably the most progressive city in America and still the epicenter of tech, would be the logical testing ground for autonomous vehicles (AVs). But after Waymo and Cruise have unleashed their driverless cars on the tiniest of big cities (it’s only 7 by 7 miles), here come what can only be best described as a public protest against the very technology we need—one that ought to revolutionize private transportation in a way that is better for all of us.
Over 40,000 people die in traffic accidents every year in the U.S, almost all of them the fault of human drivers. AVs, with their lightning-quick actions and unflagging attention could save the day—if only we would let them.
But the city of San Francisco seems to be mounting a popular revolt against AVs. The San Francisco Chronicle reported over 90 cases of bad behavior by AVs, including a vehicle that would not understand an officer’s command to halt when it was in an area where firefighters were battling a fire. Unable to command the driver to stop, the officer had to smash the AV’s windshield. That did the trick—probably because it was programmed to stop when it encountered a non-drivable situation.
Wired, the leading popular technology publication that is based in San Francisco, picked up on the story, adding harrowing tales of Muni (San Francisco’s bus network) coming “face to face” with a Waymo SUV coming toward it on a one-way street.
Sorry to have to play the part of the technophile at the expense of public safety, but it is not clear to me the public was in any danger from a smart driverless car that was slowly moving down the road. I’m pretty sure it would have avoided running into firefighters and firetrucks. I can’t say the same for many drivers who are impaired for whatever reason—whether it be drugs, health or age-induced issues.
Is this a case of AVs and new technology being held to an impossible standard when we give our frail human selves every license? I imagine a cop telling an aged driver to kindly turn around—and not smash their windshield.
AVs made a total of 92 “unplanned stops” between May and December 2022, according to data collected from 911 calls and other sources, according to Wired.