SAN FRANCISCO — The City by the Bay is taking its robotaxi worries to Washington after a series of Waymo meltdowns disrupted traffic and prompted some in the tech-industry town to start to sour on the self-driving cars they once embraced.
Mayor Daniel Lurie on Tuesday publicly backed a proposal in Congress to reel in any unruly, autonomous vehicles — not just Waymos — especially during their run-ins with first responders, POLITICO’s California Decoded newsletter was first to report.
The bill is authored by Rep. Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.) — who represents areas south of San Francisco headed toward Silicon Valley — and also has the support of San Francisco transit and public safety officials.
The move is a notable step for Lurie, who came into office trumpeting tech company successes in the city, like Waymo’s spread, as a way to boost San Francisco’s economy and image.
