A Waymo autonomous vehicle struck a dog in San Francisco on Sunday, just weeks after a cat was killed by one of the company's driverless taxis. The incident occurred around 8 p.m. local time in the city's Western Addition neighbourhood.
Waymo confirmed the collision in a statement, saying one of its robotaxis “made contact with a small, unleashed dog in the roadway.” The passenger, who posted on Reddit, said they called police and customer support. Waymo later contacted the passenger, acknowledged the situation, and filed a collision report. The company said it was sending team members to look for the dog's owner and offer veterinary services.
This incident follows the death of a cat named KitKat, the pet mascot of a local market, which was killed by a Waymo vehicle in October. Waymo expressed sympathy and pledged a donation to an animal rights organisation. Tech billionaire Elon Musk commented on the cat's death, stating, “Many pets will be saved by autonomy.”
Waymo has been involved in at least 14 animal collisions since mid-2021, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, with five resulting in death. For context, an estimated 5.4 million cats are hit by cars annually in the US, with most dying.
