The City of San Francisco has filed a lawsuit against the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for permitting Google's Waymo and General Motors' Cruise to expand their autonomous vehicle operations in the city, citing safety concerns and a history of problems caused by these vehicles.

The lawsuit, filed in December and not previously reported, challenges the commission's decision to allow Waymo's 24/7 taxi service and addresses public safety concerns raised by reported safety incidents involving autonomous vehicles, including interference with emergency services, traffic disruptions, and the infamous collision with a pedestrian.

The lawsuit also calls for the CPUC to reconsider Waymo's permits and establish new safety regulations, highlighting the need for standards comparable to those for human drivers. The city's stance is that while autonomous vehicles have potential benefits, current technology must be more rigorously regulated to ensure public safety.

Analyst QuickTake: This move represents a significant pushback against the rapid development and deployment of autonomous vehicle technology, highlighting the city's concerns over public safety and the need for more rigorous oversight. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the CPUC also suspended Cruise's driverless robotaxi deployment permits in California in October 2023, citing safety concerns and misrepresentations about its vehicles. However, Waymo has since continued its operations in the city.