The death of beloved neighborhood cat named KitKat, which was struck and killed by a Waymo in San Francisco’s Mission District last week, is sparking uproar in the city and across the internet. Now local politicians and community leaders are harnessing momentum to put new limits on the fast-spreading autonomous vehicle industry.
KitKat was a regular fixture at the deli and liquor store Randa’s Market, and was well known in the neighborhood and on social media. In a recent podcast interview, Daniel Zeidan, part of the family that owns Randa’s, described KitKat as unequivocally adored.
“The nickname that they had for him was the mayor of 16th Street,” Zeidan said. “He would walk down there, stare up at the employees and wait for them to throw chicken at him … He really ran the block.”
But on 27 October, KitKat was struck by a Waymo autonomous vehicle, which in recent years has become a ubiquitous sight around the city. Waymo confirmed the death in a statement to the Guardian. “While our vehicle was stopped to pick up passengers, a nearby cat darted under our vehicle as it was pulling away,” a company spokesperson said.
Tributes have poured in across social media for KitKat, who could often be found curled up behind the counter at Randa’s, or strolling into the nearby Dalva bar to receive a royal reception. A shrine has popped up outside of Randa’s, replete with photos of KitKat, bouquets of flowers and well-wishes.
Local legislators are using the incident to call for limits on the industry’s growth. Jackie Fielder, a San Francisco city supervisor, said she plans to introduce legislation that would allow counties to decide whether they will permit the operation of autonomous vehicles, and is calling upon the California legislature to consider doing the same. Fielder said the bill will be similar to a 2024 effort in the California legislature.
“We are absolutely coming for your bottom dollar,” Fielder said of Waymo in a Tuesday press conference held outside of Randa’s Market. Speakers included local politicians, union leaders and transit advocates, who touched on fears of job replacement via AI and the loss of local political control against tech companies.
Justin Dolezal, a local bar owner and head of a small business coalition, also spoke about KitKat’s role in the community, and in favor of the resolution.
“The mayor of this space was taken by technology that none of us asked for, and crucially to this resolution, none of us consented to,” Dozel said.
KitKat’s death is the latest swell in waves of anti-AI sentiment and concerns over autonomous vehicles, although others point to data showing a firm safety record. While Waymo says it operates around 1,500 cars across the US, exact numbers for San Francisco’s fleet are unclear. Protestors and activists have taken to disabling Waymos by placing traffic cones on their hoods or even setting them on fire. Cruise, another autonomous taxi company, agreed last year to shell out more than $8m in 2024 to a Bay Area woman who was dragged over 20ft of pavement by an autonomous vehicle. Questions have also arisen over how to ticket and discipline autonomous vehicles when they violate traffic laws.
Waymo declined to comment on the proposed legislation in a written statement to the Guardian but said that “trust and the safety of the communities we serve is our highest priority”.
“We send our deepest sympathies to the cat’s owner and the community who knew and loved him, and we have made a donation to a local animal rights organization in his honor,” the statement said.
As politicians push for change, some have taken upon themselves to honor KitKat in distinctly Silicon Valley-style ways. Zeidan has released a memecoin honoring KitKat’s legacy, and also said that he was disappointed to see others launch their own imitation tokens in an attempt to profit off KitKat’s death.
Zeidan hopes to use proceeds to support local veterinarians and animal welfare organizations. He was inspired to do so after the veterinarian that attempted to save KitKat’s life dropped the cost of the entire medical bill.
“We wanted to honor the cat,” Zeidan said. “We want to support shelters, we want to support local animal organizations that help animals.”
