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San Francisco mayor pushes for tougher rules after the Waymo traffic fiasco

Published

2 months ago

July 17, 2026

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It turns out that even San Francisco mayor Daniel Lurie, who once declared that the city should be a testbed for emerging tech, has his limits. Especially when that emerging tech creates a massive hours-long traffic jam that leaves thousands at a standstill.

Mayor Lurie has asked state regulators to bolster rules for autonomous vehicles nearly two weeks after Waymo robotaxis became immobile in heavy July 4 traffic, ran out of power, and blocked key streets, further compounding the gridlock. The traffic jam, which trapped municipal shuttles, became a citywide problem that affected thousands of people.

In his letter to the state Department of Transportation, which was viewed by TechCrunch, Lurie pointed to two events — a widespread power outage in December and the Golden Gate Bridge fireworks show on July 4 that attracted 100,000 spectators — both of which led to dozens of stranded Waymo vehicles and paralyzed traffic. The San Francisco Chronicle first reported on the letter.

The events, he said in the letter, “demonstrated that California’s current regulatory framework does not adequately address how autonomous vehicles operate during major incidents, planned or not. California’s challenge now is not just whether autonomous vehicles can operate safely under normal conditions, but also whether they can perform reliably during extraordinary ones.”

Lurie said autonomous vehicle manufacturers should be able to demonstrate four “core operational capabilities” and asked the California Department of Transportation to establish statewide standards to prevent future problems like the July 4 gridlock incident.

Under Lurie’s vision, companies would be required to immediately remove or relocate robotaxis from active travel lanes to keep people moving and be required to be able to adapt in real time, adjusting their routes, service area, and pickup and drop-off locations. Companies would also have to share real-time operations data with local agencies, including service disruptions, the locations of immobile robotaxis, and recovery efforts as well as demonstrate through testing that they can handle large influxes of people and traffic.

TechCrunch has reached out to Waymo for comment. The article will be updated once the company responds.

Any company that wants to operate a robotaxi service in California has to successfully navigate two testing and deployment permit processes, one administered by the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles and the other by the Public Utilities Commission. California’s existing regulatory framework is stricter than that of other states like Texas and Arizona, but that hasn’t dissuaded companies from trying to operate there.

San Francisco and the wider area that stretches south into Silicon Valley have long been a testbed for autonomous vehicle technology. Six companies, including Nuro, Waymo, and Zoox, hold driverless testing permits, which allow the vehicles to drive without a human safety operator behind the wheel.

But the area has also become the launch point for commercial services, which requires other permits from the DMV and CPUC.

Waymo is the largest, with an estimated 1,000 robotaxis operating in the Bay Area today. But there are plenty of others either testing or poised to launch commercial operations, including Amazon-owned Zoox as well as a premium robotaxi service that will be operated by Uber. Tesla has a branded robotaxi service but it doesn’t use driverless vehicles, nor does it have the permits to do so. Instead, Tesla has a charter transportation permit, which allows its own drivers to pick up and drop off riders throughout San Francisco in vehicles equipped with its advanced driver-assistance system rather than fully autonomous software.

Waymo’s scale has made it the focal point for regulators in San Francisco and beyond. The company now operates in 11 cities and has said it completes more than 500,000 paid rides every week. In San Francisco, Lurie noted that Waymo had agreed to restrict its service on July 4 near the waterfront and had even assigned a representative to the city’s emergency center. But that wasn’t enough to keep the Waymos out of the heavy traffic that occurred outside of that district.

Lurie said these voluntary actions are no longer enough — a reflection of just how big Waymo’s fleet has become. He said the four proposed requirements “will not undermine autonomous vehicles; they will strengthen them.”

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Army arrests two soldiers over alleged ammunition racketeering

Published

1 hour ago

September 25, 2026

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The Nigerian Army has apprehended two soldiers over alleged ammunition racketeering, while troops recovered an AK-47 rifle during separate operations in Zamfara and Kaduna.

An operational report made available to journalists on Thursday said the soldiers were arrested by troops of Operation Fansan Yamma after allegedly attempting to transfer 60 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition to a suspected civilian buyer.

According to the report, one of the soldiers allegedly handed the ammunition to the other in the presence of the suspected buyer.

The report said the suspects, attached to the headquarters of Operation Fansan Yamma and 223 Battalion, were arrested at about 7:50 p.m. on Wednesday.

It added that troops recovered four mobile phones, two empty magazines, an ATM card, a motorcycle, a cutlass, keys, recharge cards and other items from the suspects.

According to the report, the suspects and recovered items were handed over to the 1 Brigade Provost Company for further investigation.

“Meanwhile, troops of 1 Division operating along the Abuja-Kaduna highway engaged suspected terrorists after detecting their movement with a long-range camera.

“The troops engaged the terrorists in bushes across the Abuja-Kaduna railway line, forcing them to withdraw.

“During a follow-up operation, troops recovered an AK-47 rifle, a magazine loaded with 13 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and other items.

“The recovered items included a military jungle hat, magazine carrier, civilian clothing, prayer mat and other sundry items,” it said.

The report also revealed that troops of Operation Delta Safe raided a suspected illegal bunkering dump at Otom Community Waterside, Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.

It said the troops recovered 40 drums containing about 12,000 litres of suspected illegally refined automotive gas oil, estimated at N14 million.

According to the report, troops also recovered a drum of engine oil and two tanks, which were handled in line with extant regulations.

In Plateau, the army said troops responded to an attack on commuters at Dindiyes village, Mangu Local Government Area, forcing the suspected attackers to withdraw.

It added that troops subsequently recovered the corpse of a civilian around the area, while efforts continued to apprehend the perpetrators.

(NAN)

News

WAFU – B U-17: Adegbuyi, Oparanmegwa Fire Flamingos Past Côte d’Ivoire

Published

1 hour ago

September 25, 2026

Preport

ChatGPT Image Sep 24 2026 09 10 56 PM 1024x615.png

Nigeria’s Flamingos maintained their perfect run at the 2026 WAFU-B U17 Girls Cup with a commanding 2–0 victory over hosts Côte d’Ivoire in Yamoussoukro on Thursday.

Oluwakemi Adegbuyi gave Nigeria the perfect start when she struck in the fourth minute, putting the Flamingos in front at the Lycée Scientifique.

The early goal allowed Nigeria to settle into the contest as the Flamingos protected their advantage through the remainder of the first half.

Côte d’Ivoire pushed for a response after the restart, but Nigeria remained disciplined and continued to threaten on the counter.

The Flamingos eventually doubled their advantage in the 83rd minute, with Pattra Oparanmegwa finding the back of the net to put Nigeria firmly in control.

The victory extends Nigeria’s perfect record in the competition, with the Flamingos now having won all four of their matches.

Nigeria had earlier opened their campaign with a 5–0 victory over Niger Republic before defeating Ghana 4–2 and overcoming Burkina Faso 2–0.

Against Burkina Faso, Mary Dunstan broke the deadlock in the 82nd minute before Adegbuyi struck in stoppage time to seal the win.

The victory over Côte d’Ivoire therefore represents another impressive display from the Flamingos, who have continued to combine attacking quality with defensive discipline throughout the tournament.

The hosts entered Thursday’s encounter as Nigeria’s closest challengers in the standings, having collected six points from their opening three matches. Côte d’Ivoire had also demonstrated their attacking threat with a 9–0 victory over Niger Republic before facing the Flamingos.

Nigeria, however, maintained their superiority in the decisive encounter, with Adegbuyi’s early strike and Oparanmegwa’s second-half finish securing another three points.

The result takes the Flamingos to 12 points from four matches, strengthening their position at the top of the WAFU-B U17 Girls Cup standings.

Nigeria will now turn their attention to their final fixture of the competition against Guinea, as coach Hakeem Busari’s side look to complete the tournament with another victory.

The WAFU-B competition is also serving as valuable preparation for Nigeria ahead of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, where the Flamingos will compete against North Korea, Puerto Rico and Poland in Group B.