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San Francisco fire officials cite "cultural disconnect" with AV firms after DMV suspends permit
Summary
San Francisco Fire Department officials told the Fire Commission Oct. 25 that a recent crash that seriously injured a pedestrian prompted the Department of Motor Vehicles to suspend an autonomous-vehicle operator's permit, and that talks with Cruise, Waymo and other companies show a recurring "cultural disconnect" between engineers and first responders.
Deputy Chief Letro and Chief Janine Nicholson told the San Francisco Fire Commission on Oct. 25 that autonomous-vehicle operators have not fully accounted for the safety demands of emergency-response operations. Chief Nicholson said crews’ "autonomous permit [was] revoked for now by the DMV" after an accident that severely injured a person, and that department staff are meeting with companies "to go over incidents" so first-responder perspectives inform company changes.
Deputy Chief Letro characterized conversations with the companies as revealing a mismatch between engineering priorities and public-safety…
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