Since the onset of Waymo's driverless operations in San Francisco, the city has reported nearly 600 incidents of unexpected stops. Experts believe this figure may only represent a fraction of actual occurrences. (source: ABC)

The city is missing critical data. SF Fire Chief Jeanine Nicholson highlighted the absence of vital information from autonomous vehicle (AV) companies like Waymo. "We just don't have the data. It has not been disclosed by AV companies. Everything has been redacted," Chief Nicholson stated.

This is clearly impacting emergency responses. The San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD), has reported 55 incidents of interference by Waymo's vehicles. This includes not merely unexpected stops in front of fire stations but also the prevention of emergency vehicles from timely responses to incidents.

Indeed, Fire Chief Jeanine Nicholson has candidly expressed her concerns, testifying, "I understand and appreciate the safety that autonomous vehicles can bring to the table in terms of no drunk drivers, no speeding, all of that kind of stuff. However, they are not ready for prime time because of how they impacted our operations." 

This testimony from a frontline responder must not be overlooked. Given the pressing nature of the situation and the potential risks to public safety, we urge the California DMV to:

• Immediately suspend Waymo's self-driving permit in the city of San Francisco.
• Demand comprehensive and transparent data disclosure about all interactions and incidents with emergency vehicles.
• Ensure Waymo takes corrective measures and demonstrates a significant reduction in incidents before reinstating their permit.

Join us in standing up for the safety of San Francisco residents. It is paramount that technological innovation does not come at the cost of public safety.