Waymo Robotaxi Incident in San Francisco Raises Questions About Autonomous Vehicle Safety and Liability
A Waymo robotaxi nearly struck a two-year-old child who fell in a crosswalk in San Francisco's Noe Valley. Ben Fisher, the child's father, reported that his daughter tripped and fell face-down in the crosswalk at Sanchez and Duncan streets. As she lay there, a Waymo autonomous vehicle began moving into the intersection. Fisher quickly pushed his daughter's empty stroller into the robotaxi's path, causing it to stop approximately 13 feet away. Waymo stated that the vehicle 'did nothing wrong' and had already stopped before Fisher's intervention. Fisher and his wife filed a police report, an incident report with Waymo, and a complaint through the city's 311 system. A passenger in the Waymo also reported the incident to the company. Fisher contacted the offices of Mayor Daniel Lurie and Supervisor Rafael Mandelman regarding the event. The incident occurred on a designated 'Slow Street' intended to prioritize pedestrians and cyclists. 
