Protesters are disabling robotaxis with traffic cones
A group of activists in San Francisco have been disabling driverless taxis by placing traffic cones on their hoods.
The group, which calls itself the ‘Week of Cone’, is protesting the spread of robotaxi services in the city.
What started with a now-viral prank on Twitter and TikTok has gained support among residents who are sick of the vehicles malfunctioning and blocking traffic.
The group’s method of turning off the robotaxis is simple. They place a traffic cone on the vehicle’s hood, which triggers the car’s sensors to think there is an obstacle. The car then stops and refuses to move until the cone is removed.
The aim is to raise awareness among citizens to submit public comments to the CPUC before a hearing next week that will likely let robotaxi companies, Waymo and Cruise, expand their driverless taxis in the city.
Complaints against driverless taxis include impeding traffic, public transit and emergency responders.
There have been instances of driverless taxis blocking traffic for several hours, causing major inconvenience.
The group also pointed out that the robotaxis are ‘recording everyone without our consent’. This raises concerns about surveillance as law enforcement can obtain footage from self-driving cars with a warrant or subpoena in California.
Additionally, robotaxis could lead to job losses and wage cuts for taxi drivers, ride-share drivers, and other transportation workers. Groups like the San Francisco Taxi Workers Alliance and the Alliance for Independent Workers are also protesting this.
‘There’s also no accountability when they block buses or first responders, and unlike human drivers can’t get ticketed for moving violations,’ tweeted the group.
Driverless taxis have been around in San Francisco since 2018. Last year, Cruise was approved to charge for driverless rides, the first time a company had been allowed to charge for driverless taxis in the United States.
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