Robotaxi runs over and kills popular cat that greeted people in a corner shop

The unofficial mayor of a busy San Francisco street is dead after being struck by one of Waymo’s self-driving cars.

KitKat, the beloved pet cat at Randa’s Market, was run over by an automated car on October 27.

He was rushed to a hospital by a bartender working nearby, but was pronounced dead.

KitKat’s death has sparked an outpouring of fury and sadness from those who loved him – and questions about the dangers posed by self-driving cars.

Randa’s Market owner Mike Zeidan told Rolling Stone: ‘He was a special cat. You can tell by the love and support he’s getting from the community that he was amazing.’

San Francisco Supervisor Jackie Fielder spoke out publicly, saying: ‘Waymo thinks they can just sweep this under the rug and we will all forget, but here in the Mission, we will never forget our sweet KitKat.’

Anger in the community has increased after it was revealed that on the same day KitKat was killed, Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said she thought society is ‘ready to accept deaths’ caused by automated cars.

But KitKat’s owner pointed out that next time, the death could be that of a child, not just a beloved pet.

Waymo said in a statement: ‘We reviewed this, and while our vehicle was stopped to pick up passengers, a nearby cat darted under our vehicle as it was pulling away.

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 organisation in his honour.’

In the meantime, locals are rallying around KitKat, sharing touching videos and photos of him, and have erected a make-shift shrine to the beloved cat.

Despite concerns raised about safety, Waymo is launching a fully driverless ride-hailing service in London in 2026.

Recent polling from YouGov found that only 3% of Britons say they would trust a driverless taxi ‘a great deal,’ while 14% said they trusted them ‘a fair amount.’

By contrast, almost eight in ten (79%) express little or no trust, with 44% saying they would not trust one at all.

The polling, of which 1,000 British adults were asked about the autonomous vehicles on October 14, also revealed when cost and convenience are equal, most Britons would still prefer a human behind the wheel.

More than eight in ten (85%) say they would choose a taxi with a human driver, compared to just 6% who would opt for a driverless one. Another 6% have no preference, while 3% are unsure.

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