Editorial note: The news report in the video player above was produced on Wednesday, October 29, before KRON4 News received a statement from Waymo.
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Waymo said it plans to make a donation to a local animal rights organization after one of its self-driving cars struck and killed a beloved cat at a corner store in San Francisco’s Mission District on Monday night.
According to residents, Kit Kat was the neighborhood mascot that brightened the days of customers and residents as they passed Randa Market on 16th Street.
“They would deliver Kit Kats in a Kit Kat box, and that’s the box that Kit Kat chose to sleep in and got his name. (It) was very popular,” neighbor Sarah Kuhns said.
According to the 311 complaint, a Waymo vehicle struck a liquor store cat that was sitting on the sidewalk next to the transit lane. “Waymo did not even attempt to stop and struck the cat very quickly. Neighbors picked up the cat and took it to an emergency vet in hopes of saving it. Unfortunately, KitKat did not survive,” the complaint says.
“The trust and safety of the communities we serve is our top priority,” a Waymo spokesperson said in a statement to KRON4 Thursday evening. “We reviewed this, and as our vehicle stopped to pick up passengers, a nearby cat lunged under our vehicle as it drove away. We send our deepest condolences to the cat’s owner and the community who knew and loved him, and will make a donation to a local animal rights organization in his honor.”
Community members in San Francisco’s Mission District held a vigil on Wednesday that was filled with flowers, candles and photos of the famous pets. Many are calling for more safety measures to be put in place. The owner was so stunned that he couldn’t speak on camera.
“I find it disgusting that Waymo has action in this matter,” Kuhns added. “I have known many people who have been hit by those vehicles, myself included, and I find it disgusting that this is the way the Kit Kat went.”
“While I was making space for people to continue making sacrifices, I just received story after story of what their cat was like,” said Margherita Lara, a resident next door. “Two different children of different ages said they grew up with this cat and cried. One of them brought her older brother.”
Waymo co-CEO Tekdra Mawakana said during an interview at the TechCrunch Disrupt event in San Francisco that robotaxis are safer than human drivers.
When asked about potential deaths the robots might cause, she said she believes society will accept them, and that the company doesn’t worry about if it will happen, but when it will happen, and they are planning for it.
It comes as Uber announces that the San Francisco Bay Area will be the first market for its purpose-built self-driving taxis, which are expected to launch in late 2026. But those who are saddened by the mission prefer the robo-taxi breakouts.
Lara added: “The coolest cat in the world.” “One of a kind, Mayor of 16th Street, and we will never have another pet like this. Loved by all.”