Beloved Mission cat's death sparks call for local robotaxi oversight
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Locals erected a memorial outside of Randa's Market, which KitKat called home. Photo: Nadia Lopez/Axios
The death of a beloved neighborhood cat hit by a Waymo robotaxi has triggered community outrage and a new push from Supervisor Jackie Fielder to put driverless vehicles under local control.
Why it matters: The Oct. 27 incident has become an unexpected flashpoint in the debate over self-driving cars.
State of play: Fielder, who represents the Mission, says that KitKat's death underscores a gap in local oversight since autonomous vehicles are regulated by the state, giving residents little say over where they operate.
Driving the news: The District 9 supervisor introduced a resolution Tuesday urging state leaders to let counties vote on whether they want driverless cars in their communities.
- "KitKat represented everything that makes the Mission District special — he was friendly, he was brave and he was deeply rooted in the community," Fielder said at a press conference. "We cannot remain silent while corporations make choices that impact our neighborhoods without our consent."
Waymo did not respond to Axios' request for comment.
- "We send our deepest sympathies to the cat's owner and the community who knew and loved him," the company said in a statement to multiple other outlets.
Brad Templeton, a Bay Area-based self-driving car consultant, told the San Francisco Chronicle that allowing every county to set its own rules could produce a "complicated patchwork" of regulations, making operation impractical.
- Past state legislative attempts in support of local regulation have failed.
Catch up quick: Affectionately referred to as "The Mayor of 16th Street," KitKat was fatally struck by a Waymo car last week outside Randa's Market — the store he called home for six years.
- KitKat was under the car when it was run over, Randa's Market owner Mike Zeidan told Axios.
- The cat was a regular fixture along 16th Street, making friendly appearances at nearby businesses and greeting passersby.
- "It's a big, big loss for us. We miss him, but we will cherish his memories," Zeidan said.
By the numbers: The California DMV has received 888 collision reports involving autonomous vehicles since 2014.
- In June 2023, a Waymo robotaxi in self-driving mode killed a small dog. In October of that same year, a Cruise vehicle dragged a pedestrian after an initial collision — which later prompted regulatory action.