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Waymo Confirms Robotaxi Hit Small Dog in San Francisco's Western Addition

The incident intensifies scrutiny of Waymo's safety record, fueling calls for local control over autonomous taxis.

Overview

  • Waymo said a driverless vehicle made contact with a small, unleashed dog around 8 p.m. Sunday at Scott and Eddy streets, and the dog's condition remains unknown.
  • The company is reviewing ride data, has contacted the passenger, filed a collision report, and sent staff to look for the owner and offer veterinary assistance, while reporting no update on the animal.
  • A passenger described hearing yelping, said a crowd gathered, and recounted the episode in a Reddit post after leaving the scene with their family.
  • City records show a 311 complaint at 8:25 p.m.; Animal Care and Control reached the reporting party but found nothing to pursue, and the complaint remained open as of Monday afternoon.
  • The collision comes weeks after a Waymo killed the Mission District cat KitKat, as federal data count at least 14 Waymo animal collisions since 2021 with five deaths, and Supervisor Jackie Fielder is urging county-level power to restrict robotaxis.