Founder and Managing Partner
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A driverless Waymo car and a cyclist were involved in a crash in San Francisco on Tuesday, Waymo confirmed to KRON4.
The crash happened at the intersection of 17th Street and Mississippi Street just after 3 p.m. The cyclist’s injuries were not life-threatening, according to the San Francisco Police Department.
San Francisco Supervisor Shamann Walton posted about the crash on Facebook, saying “So much for safety.”
In a response to a KRON4 inquiry, Waymo explained how the crash allegedly happened.
According to Waymo, the driverless car was stopped at a four-way intersection. A large truck went through the intersection and the Waymo car followed after it went through.
The cyclist was behind the truck, and their view was blocked, according to Waymo. They rode into the Waymo car’s path and were hit.
“The cyclist was occluded by the truck and quickly followed behind it, crossing into the Waymo vehicle’s path. When they became unoccluded, our vehicle applied heavy braking but was not able to avoid the collision,” Waymo said.
Waymo told police about the crash and the cyclist left on their own, per Waymo. Waymo says it is “making contact with relevant authorities” about the crash.