San Francisco Takes Up the Sword Against Waymo's Traffic Chaos... Pushing New Self-Driving Rules

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Luri has formally requested California's Department of Motor Vehicles to establish new operational standards for autonomous vehicles, aiming to ensure they can function reliably during large-scale events or emergencies. The demand follows a July 4th Independence Day parade incident where Waymo's autonomous taxis became stranded in severe traffic, draining batteries and blocking major roads for hours, disrupting shuttle bus services and affecting thousands. Luri emphasized that current regulations fail to address how autonomous vehicles should operate during exceptional circumstances, stressing the need for systems that can dynamically adjust routes, share real-time data with local governments, and prove reliability amid heavy traffic or large crowds. Six companies, including Waymo, Nuro, and Cruise, currently operate autonomous ride-hailing services in the Bay Area, with Waymo operating over 500,000 paid rides weekly globally.