San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie is pushing for tougher rules on robotaxi companies after a major traffic disruption involving Waymo vehicles. The move follows an hours-long gridlock event that intensified concerns about how autonomous vehicle services operate on busy city streets.
Lurie had previously supported the idea of San Francisco serving as a proving ground for new technology. But the latest incident appears to have tested that approach, with the mayor now signaling that innovation should come with stronger safeguards when public streets and transportation flow are affected.
According to the report, Lurie told state regulators that companies such as Waymo should face more requirements. The focus is not only on advancing autonomous technology, but also on making sure operators can prevent large-scale disruptions and respond effectively when problems occur.
The episode adds to the broader debate over how cities and regulators should manage self-driving vehicle services. As robotaxis expand, pressure is likely to grow for clearer operating standards, stronger oversight, and accountability when high-profile failures disrupt daily life.
