San Francisco Mayor tightens rules following traffic congestion caused by Waymo robotaxis

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, despite supporting technological innovation, has called for stricter regulations on driverless vehicle operations. This follows a massive traffic jam on July 4th involving Waymo robotaxis that paralyzed city streets for hours. The incident has intensified concerns regarding the behavior of autonomous vehicles in unexpected situations, reports Techcrunch.com reports .

According to TechCrunch, Mayor Lurie sent an official letter to state regulators requesting the introduction of new, stricter requirements for robotaxis. During holiday events, dozens of Waymo vehicles stopped in the middle of the road due to power depletion or technical malfunctions. This situation obstructed not only private drivers but also public transport and emergency service vehicles.

Reliability in emergency situations

In his address, Daniel Lurie emphasized that current California state legislation does not fully cover the operation of autonomous vehicles during emergencies. According to him, robotaxis must not only operate safely under normal conditions but also function reliably during unexpected events such as public gatherings or power outages. The mayor believes current regulations are unprepared for such complex scenarios.

Under the newly proposed regulations, robotaxi manufacturing companies must demonstrate the following four core capabilities:

• Promptly remove malfunctioning or stalled vehicles from traffic lanes;
• Ability to modify routes, service areas, and passenger pickup points in real-time;
• Share operational data with local government agencies in real-time;
• Pass specialized tests for operating in high-density pedestrian areas and complex traffic conditions.

Currently, about 1,000 Waymo robotaxis are operating in the San Francisco area, making it the largest operator in the region. Additionally, Amazon-owned Zoox and robotaxi projects in partnership with Uber are also attempting to establish their market presence. Tesla does not yet have a permit for fully autonomous driverless operation and currently offers services under driver supervision.

San Francisco and Silicon Valley have long served as the primary testing ground for autonomous technologies. Six companies, including Nuro, Waymo, and Zoox, have the right to conduct driverless tests. However, recent events demonstrate that alongside technological progress, it is necessary to update the legal framework to ensure urban infrastructure and public safety.

Experts note that while California's regulations are stricter than those in other US states, the incident involving Waymo proved that there are still gaps in the system. If the mayor's proposals are adopted, they could set a new standard for regulating robotaxi operations not only in San Francisco but worldwide.