Dorothy

On January 17, a Zoox autonomous vehicle collided with a parked car in San Francisco, prompting an investigation by the San Francisco Police Department. Zoox stated the crash occurred after a parked car’s door was “suddenly opened,” while police are reviewing video and sensor data to determine responsibility. Separately, a Zeekr van operated by Waymo crashed into multiple parked vehicles in Echo Park; Waymo confirmed the vehicle was under manual control at the time and not in autonomous mode, and is reviewing the incident. These events have drawn public attention to safety concerns surrounding robotaxi operations in the city. While all sources agree on the occurrence of these crashes and the involvement of autonomous vehicle companies, they differ in emphasis. The Verge and TechCrunch focus on the technical circumstances of each crash—highlighting whether vehicles were in autonomous mode or responding to external stimuli. Wired, by contrast, shifts focus to market dynamics, reporting that Waymo is increasingly competing with Uber and Lyft in ride-hail service speed, while Tesla’s human-driven service leads in pricing. This framing suggests a broader industry narrative about competition and consumer adoption, rather than safety or regulatory concerns. No source disputes the basic facts of the incidents, but interpretations vary between operational accountability and market trends.