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San Francisco Mourns KitKat After Waymo Robotaxi Incident Spurs Safety Questions

An anonymous city complaint challenges the robotaxi’s account, with experts pointing to sensor blind spots plus limited legal options for pet owners.

Overview

  • Waymo confirmed one of its vehicles encountered a cat near Randa’s Market and said the animal darted under the car as it pulled away after a passenger pickup.
  • An anonymous 311 filing alleges the vehicle did not slow, swerve, or attempt to avoid KitKat when the collision occurred.
  • Owner Mike Zeidan said staff rushed the cat to an emergency clinic where he was pronounced dead, noting he did not witness the incident.
  • A street memorial in the Mission District has grown as residents post tributes and voice anger toward the company online.
  • An autonomy specialist said Waymo cars lack sensors to detect something underneath the vehicle, and a legal scholar noted pet owners typically can seek only economic damages; a local Indybay post called for disruptive action against Waymo.