Uber informed us this evening that they are halting their unpermitted testing of autonomous vehicles on San Francisco streets effective immediately. This development comes after your SF Bicycle Coalition pointed out the dangers of illegal right hook turns that these vehicles made in self-driving mode. Today, our streets are safer than they were yesterday.
Thank you to the hundreds of San Francisco Bicycle Coalition members who spoke up to tell Uber to stop its irresponsible pilot. State and local officials heard you loud and clear, as the California DMV and Attorney General’s office took action tonight to revoke the registration of Uber’s autonomous vehicles.
Autonomous vehicles will be a part of San Francisco’s future, and they have the potential to reduce collisions and revolutionize the way we use and see our streets. Now we have a chance to do things the right way. We know 2017 will be the year to create the regulatory framework to realize this technology’s potential. It’s important that as the State of California considers revisions to those regulations, they are written such that the safety of people walking and biking is a top priority.
We look forward to continuing to work with Uber and other companies developing autonomous vehicles, along with state and local officials to make sure that this technology delivers on its promise of safer streets. This step forward, ensuring that autonomous vehicles improve safety rather than threaten it, gives us all the time and space to do that important work.