The death of a beloved neighborhood cat named KitKat, struck and killed by a Waymo autonomous vehicle in San Francisco's Mission District last week, has ignited public outrage and renewed calls for stricter regulation of the self-driving car industry.
KitKat, affectionately known as the 'mayor of 16th Street', was a regular at Randa's Market and well-known on social media. Waymo confirmed the incident, stating the cat darted under the vehicle as it pulled away from picking up passengers.
Local politicians, including city supervisor Jackie Fielder, are using the incident to push for legislation allowing counties to decide on autonomous vehicle operations. Fielder announced plans to introduce a bill similar to a 2024 state effort, citing concerns over job replacement and loss of local control.
Community members and activists have expressed frustration, with some disabling Waymo vehicles by placing cones on their hoods. The incident adds to growing anti-AI sentiment, though Waymo maintains a firm safety record. The company expressed sympathies and donated to an animal welfare organisation.
In a Silicon Valley-style tribute, Randa's Market co-owner Daniel Zeidan launched a memecoin to honour KitKat, with proceeds supporting local veterinarians and animal shelters. He criticised others for creating imitation tokens to profit from the tragedy.
