A Google-run Waymo driverless taxi has sparked public anger in San Francisco after it ran over and killed a well-known local tabby cat named “Tuna”. According to reporting by the Daily Mail, the autonomous vehicle did not stop after the collision, leaving residents furious and prompting fresh criticism of the safety of driverless cars operating in busy neighbourhoods.
DM News Commentary
This incident is a stark reminder of the fragile relationship between communities and emerging autonomous driving technology. Waymo has long claimed its vehicles are statistically safer than human drivers — but public trust doesn’t run on spreadsheets. It runs on emotion, real-world behaviour, and how a vehicle responds in the most unexpected moments.
The death of a neighbourhood cat might sound minor compared to human-injury collisions, but these are the cases that truly shake public confidence. They’re relatable, visible and immediate — and they raise the question: if a driverless taxi can’t detect or react to a pet, what would happen with a child stepping out from between parked cars?
For the UK taxi and private hire sector, this situation highlights several important points. First, despite all the hype, autonomous taxis are still deeply flawed in the complex, unpredictable environments where most PHV drivers excel every day. Second, public acceptance remains a major barrier. People may tolerate technological quirks in smartphones, but not in vehicles moving two tonnes of metal through residential streets.
And third, incidents like this delay the widespread deployment of robotaxis, giving the UK trade more time to adapt, innovate and prepare for a mixed future of human-driven and autonomous mobility. The reality is that every high-profile error from a US robotaxi fleet strengthens the case for professional drivers who rely on experience, awareness and empathy — things algorithms still struggle to replicate.
While companies like Waymo push forward, events like this show that autonomy may face a long, bumpy road before gaining the level of trust human drivers have earned over decades.
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