A Waymo robotaxi struck a small dog in San Francisco on Sunday night. The collision happened while a family rode inside the driverless car. Children in the vehicle cried after the impact, and a crowd gathered at the scene.
Details of the Collision
The dog was not on a leash and was in the roadway when the Waymo vehicle made contact. According to Futurism, a Waymo spokesperson confirmed the incident and said the company is dedicated to learning from the situation. The condition of the dog remains unclear. Waymo has not received a status update on the animal.
The passenger riding with their family posted about the event on Reddit. The dog weighed between 20 and 30 pounds and was rolling around in the middle of the road. The rider said the Waymo rolled right over the animal. The dog started yelping and screaming after the impact.
The passenger called police and Waymo customer support. San Francisco Animal Care and Control received a complaint about the accident. A Waymo representative later called to check on the family.
Passenger Views on the Incident
The rider expressed mixed feelings about whether the robotaxi could have avoided hitting the dog. They noted that a distracted driver might have struck the animal too. But they also said the average driver would have slammed on the brakes. The passenger later added that they were not sure a human driver would have avoided the dog either.
Recent Waymo Animal Incidents
This collision comes weeks after another Waymo robotaxi killed a bodega cat named Kit Kat in San Francisco. The tabby was widely loved by locals in the neighborhood. The death sparked outrage and fueled debates over rules for self-driving vehicles. A shrine was built for the cat, who was nicknamed the Mayor of 16th Street.
Two years ago, a Waymo struck and killed a dog in San Francisco. The robotaxis have also hit pedestrians and bicyclists, though in many cases the other party was found at fault. Waymo claims its cars are 91 percent less likely to be in crashes causing serious injury than human drivers. The company has driven 96 million fully driverless rides as of June.
The passenger involved in the recent dog collision remains a fan of Waymo. They said they look forward to trying the service again, though their kids will need time before riding again.
