Overview
- KitKat, a nine-year-old cat from Randa’s Market on 16th Street, was injured late Monday and died at an emergency vet, prompting a growing sidewalk memorial.
- A 311 complaint filed shortly after the incident alleged a Waymo hit the cat and did not try to stop, and a nearby motorist described people pulling the cat from under the vehicle.
- Waymo said its vehicle was stopped to pick up passengers and that the cat darted under as it pulled away, and it offered condolences and a donation to a local animal-rights group.
- As of the latest reports, no public surveillance footage or incident-specific government investigation has been cited to clarify the conflicting accounts.
- The death has renewed scrutiny of driverless taxis in San Francisco, following an NHTSA inquiry earlier this month into thousands of Waymo vehicles over other safety complaints.