Activists Use Traffic Cones to Disrupt Robotaxis in Viral Protest

San Francisco activists have taken things into their own hands by blocking self-driving taxis using a simple technique: placing traffic cones on the hoods of the vehicles.

The 'Week of Cone' organization is utilizing this practical joke as a means of protest against the city's plans to expand robotaxi services. Residents have backed the initiative because they are fed up with the cars breaking down and creating traffic jams; it garnered popularity on social media sites like Twitter and TikTok, according to a Metro report.

Protest via Prank

The idea behind the protest movement is simple: the activists put a traffic cone on the robotaxi's hood, causing the vehicle's sensors to sense an obstruction. As a result, the car stops and won't move until the cone is taken away.

This creative act aims to increase public awareness and motivate people to send the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) their public comments before an impending hearing. The hearing outcome will probably decide whether the city can let Cruise and Waymo expand their driverless taxi business.

While the Department of Motor Cars offers licenses for using autonomous cars on public roads, the CPUC only permits businesses to collect fees for automated passenger services. Despite resistance from local government organizations and people, the CPUC published draft resolutions in May allowing the expansion.

Why Do They Hate Robotaxis?

The activists have urged careful decision-making, data gathering, workshops, constraints on deployments in the city center and during peak hours, and controls on fleet growth.

Driverless taxis also threaten to replace regular taxi and ride-hailing drivers, according to groups like the San Francisco Taxi Workers Alliance and the Alliance for Independent Workers.

In spite of the promises made by robotaxi businesses to lessen traffic and accidents, the protesters said this is not the case. They assert that these cars obstruct ordinary traffic, emergency vehicles, and buses. They also bring up issues with incidences when people and animals were hurt. Even if some of these accusations could be overblown, Waymo and Cruise cars have sometimes disrupted traffic by stopping in the middle of the road, per TechCrunch.

However, San Francisco authorities has not yet received any reports of deaths brought on by driverless cars. Police enforcement has utilized videos from these corporations to help solve crimes, but no proof exists that continual monitoring is occurring.

Unsurprisingly, robotaxi firms are not happy with the activist's efforts. Waymo expressed their displeasure with the protesters' actions. In a statement to The Drive and Road & Track, the company pointed out that the behavior promotes risky conduct and vandalism, according to Carscoops.

The corporation said they would alert law enforcement if their cars encountered obstructions or other potentially hazardous situations while traveling on public roadways.