Driverless Taxis Put Pedestrians On Their Toes

Pedestrians in San Francisco are getting ready to break out their running shoes, as the city has asked California regulators to halt – or at least slow down – the rollout of driverless taxis.

It’s no surprise that the City by the Bay is a bit wary of these mind-boggling cars – after all, SF is the birthplace of a certain underground electronic dance music scene that has been around since the 90’s and pedestrians like to get their groove on without being mowed down by automation.

But fear not San Fran-dwellers, as the city’s request may be more practical than it initially seems. Here’s why:

Regulation Needs To Catch Up

For the driverless taxi trend to be successful and safe, the regulations need to be in place to guarantee it. But right now, the technology is advancing faster than the rule-makers can keep up.

That means that cities and states are faced with a dilemma: create regulations to protect pedestrians and incentivize companies to comply before the driverless taxi fleet hits the streets, or risk getting overrun by a robocabs with no oversight.

Safety is Not Always Guaranteed

Even when the regulations are up to date, there have been several incidents that call into question the safety of this technology.

In May of 2019, CNBC reported a Tesla “on autopilot” hit a parked police car, flew off the highway and was confiscated. In another incident, the pilot of a commercial jet was forced to take evasive maneuvers to avoid an unmanned aircraft

These incidents show us that safety cannot – and should not – be taken for granted when it comes to driverless technology.

Humor – The Best (and Most Fun) Safety Net

As serious as the situation sounds, San Francisco’s stance on the driverless taxi trend is a humorous one. Instead of rushing to put regulations in place, the city has decided to:

• Take their time. This allows the city to develop the right regulations before the driverless taxis hit the streets, making sure the citizens are safe.
• Dance. After all, you can’t be scared of being run down by a driverless cab if you are squatting, popping and locking in the middle of the street.
• Nod. A nod to the potential of driverless taxis, San Francisco has decided to keep an open mind and investigate further.

Conclusion

San Francisco’s request for California to halt or slow the rollout of driverless cars may seem peculiar, but it’s actually a practical and humorous way of making sure pedestrians stay safe. After all, everyone wants more driverless taxis on the streets– as long as nobody gets run over!