San Francisco police back the fire chief's complaint about robotaxi interferring with first responders

San Francisco is in an uproar over robotaxis' persistent interference with firefighters, police officers and other emergency medical personnel. The city's fire chief called attention Thursday to the potentially dangerous encounters between driverless cabs and first responders, telling The Times in an interview that she was "fed up" with the incidents, which include driving into active emergency scenes and parking on a fire hose. Now San Francisco's police union has joined city officials in urging regulators to postpone a vote, scheduled for Thursday, on a measure that would allow Waymo, Cruise and other robotaxi companies to expand in San Francisco. "While we all applaud the advancements in technology, we must not be in such a rush that we forget the human element and the effects such technology unchecked can create dangerous situations," union President Tracy McCray said. As robotaxi companies plan to provide service in Los Angeles, San Francisco officials battle with state regulators over robotaxi safety.