Driverless Robotaxi Collides with Fire Truck, Injuring Woman

A driverless robotaxi in San Francisco was involved in a collision with a fire truck on Thursday evening, resulting in injuries to the vehicle's passenger. The incident occurred at around 10:15 p.m. at Turk and Polk Streets near the Civic Center area.

According to a firefighter who was present at the scene, the Cruise driverless autonomous vehicle failed to yield to the fire truck that was responding to an emergency call nearby. As a result, the fire truck collided with the side of the car, causing its airbags to deploy. A woman sitting in the back seat hit her head during the impact.

Cruise released a statement on Friday stating that they believe the passenger's injuries are non-severe and she was transported by ambulance for further evaluation. The company also mentioned that they are conducting an investigation into the crash and have been in contact with city officials.

This collision comes just one day after San Francisco filed a motion requesting a temporary halt on expanded operations of both Cruise and Waymo's driverless cars. City officials raised concerns about reports of these vehicles causing traffic problems or interfering with first responders' duties.

Following Wednesday's request from city officials for pausing expanded robotaxi services, Waymo issued a statement supporting California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)'s decision authorizing them to charge fares for driverless rides while ensuring safe mobility options for San Franciscans.

In response to these developments, Cruise criticized San Francisco's move as an attempt to restrict a technology that has demonstrated excellent safety records and is widely used by tens of thousands of city residents.

This incident highlights the ongoing concerns surrounding the implementation of autonomous vehicles in urban environments, particularly regarding their interactions with emergency services and potential traffic disruptions.

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