KitKat, a cherished cat known for his friendly demeanor at Randa’s Market in San Francisco’s Mission District, tragically died after being struck by a Waymo robotaxi on October 27th. Witnesses reported that the cat was sitting near the stationary vehicle before it pulled away, resulting in the fatal incident. The community has expressed deep sadness, with Waymo offering condolences and a donation to an animal rights organization. This event highlights previous encounters of autonomous vehicles with animals, raising further safety concerns.
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The Colombian navy recently seized an unmanned “narco sub” equipped with a Starlink antenna off its Caribbean coast, believed to be a test run by a major cocaine trafficking cartel, which has the capacity to transport 1.5 tons of cocaine. This is not the first instance of Starlink usage by drug traffickers; in November, Indian police seized a meth consignment in a remote-controlled vessel utilizing Starlink. The rise of autonomous subs, described as hard-to-detect and operated with autonomy, reflects a shift towards more sophisticated unmanned systems. The absence of a crew also removes the risk of captured operators cooperating with authorities and makes it difficult to identify the drug lords behind the shipments.
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Anticipating Tesla’s June 22nd Austin robotaxi pilot launch, protests erupted, fueled by concerns over the safety of Tesla’s partially automated driving systems. Critics, citing NHTSA data on hundreds of collisions and fatalities involving Tesla’s Autopilot and FSD features, demonstrated the system’s flaws by showing a Tesla equipped with FSD software failing to stop for a school bus and striking a child-sized mannequin. These demonstrations highlight the protesters’ opposition to the unsupervised FSD technology slated for the robotaxi program. The demonstrations were organized by groups such as the Dawn Project, Tesla Takedown and Resist Austin.
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On Sunday afternoon, a Tesla veered off the road at the junction of Mile End Road and Harford Street in London, striking pedestrians and a lamppost. Seven people sustained injuries and were transported to hospitals, with two prioritized for major trauma centers. Social media footage depicts the wrecked vehicle and injured individuals on the pavement. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
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The UK’s Department for Transport has significantly delayed the European rollout of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, imposing restrictions that limit its functionality. These restrictions, stemming from safety concerns, primarily curtail automated maneuvers beyond highway driving and mandate driver hand-on-wheel operation. This decision contrasts with Tesla’s plans and projections, impacting the company’s sales and potentially delaying the launch of its robotaxi service. The UK’s approach reflects a phased implementation strategy prioritizing safety, while Tesla contends that the regulatory hurdles hinder European competitiveness.
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Crowd sets Waymo self-driving vehicle ablaze in San Francisco
As I read the shocking news about a crowd setting a Waymo self-driving vehicle ablaze in San Francisco, I couldn’t help but reflect on the implications of such an act. It is undeniable that this incident highlights the growing public hostility towards autonomous vehicles, especially following the tragic pedestrian accident involving a General Motors’ Cruise unit last year.
The severity of this attack marks a new level of destructive hostility towards driverless vehicles. The fact that someone would go to the extreme of setting a car on fire raises questions about the motivations behind such behavior.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker