Kit Kat and the Waymo Incident

The death of Kit Kat, a⁣ beloved bodega cat in San francisco’s Mission District, has ignited a⁣ local controversy surrounding the operation of autonomous vehicles. According to reporting by The New York Times, Kit Kat was struck and killed by a Waymo robotaxi on the evening of October 27, 2025.

Following the incident, residents created a makeshift shrine ⁣to memorialize Kit Kat. The area surrounding the site has become⁤ a focal point for debate, with signs appearing both criticizing Waymo ‍and acknowledging⁤ the broader ⁤issue of traffic fatalities caused by human drivers.

Calls for Local Control

Jackie Fielder, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors representative for the Mission District, highlighted Kit⁣ kat’s death during⁤ discussions about a proposed city resolution.This resolution seeks to grant local‍ voters the authority to decide whether driverless cars can operate within their⁤ neighborhoods.

Fielder emphasized the accountability gap inherent in incidents ⁤involving autonomous vehicles. ⁢ “A human driver can be held accountable,⁤ can hop out, say sorry, can be tracked down by⁤ police if it’s a hit-and-run,” she told the Times. “Here, there is no one to hold accountable.”

Waymo’s Response

Waymo, whose co-CEO recently⁤ underscored the importance of safety at TechCrunch Disrupt, described the incident as occurring when⁣ a cat “darted⁣ under our‍ vehicle as it was pulling⁤ away.” The company stated ‍it extends “our deepest sympathies to the cat’s owner and the community who⁤ knew and loved him.”