Rajit Gadh for the The San Francisco Standard — Waymo no-go zones: Don’t even try to get a robotaxi in SF this weekend

UCLA IoES professor Rajit Gadh discussed the future of autonomous vehicle safety for The San Francisco Standard, sharing how recent attacks on robotaxis are accelerating the development of enhanced protective technologies. Gadh noted that in response to the torching and vandalism of Waymo vehicles during protests, companies may begin integrating features like temperature and odor sensors, as well as cooling mechanisms, to detect and withstand threats. As autonomous vehicle companies weigh the financial and reputational cost of recurring damage, experts suggest we may see more robust risk assessment systems, geofencing and real-time safety adaptations become standard across the industry.