San Francisco Fire Department documents autonomous-vehicle incidents and pushes for stricter oversight

The San Francisco Fire Department on Aug. 23 told the Fire Commission it is systematically documenting incidents involving autonomous vehicles and is urging regulators and companies to provide more transparent data and stronger oversight.

Fire Chief Janine Nicholson said the department has received numerous reports after a string of recent autonomous-vehicle incidents and that the focus is ‘‘public safety, period.’’ Nicholson said the department is not ‘‘anti-technology’’ but that the city expects companies to work with emergency services to resolve safety and access issues; she noted the California Department of Motor Vehicles had moved to slow certain operations while investigations continue.

Nicholson described a local pattern of incidents, including vehicles stopping traffic and crashes in high-traffic neighborhoods, and said the department receives daily reports from personnel. ‘‘There are so many billions of dollars behind this now. It’s really a freight train that’s gonna keep on rolling,’’ she said, framing the industry momentum commissioners asked about.

Commissioner Catherine Feinstein and others pressed for documentation; Feinstein noted the department has compiled a database of incidents that, she said, ‘‘would certainly conflict with the notion that these vehicles are safe.’’ The department confirmed members file incident reports in a designated HRMS form and that those entries are being collected for analysis.

The department and commissioners discussed regulatory gaps. Nicholson said there is currently ‘‘no regulation’’ that taxes or otherwise compensates cities for use of streets by autonomous vehicles and said legislation or regulatory authority would be needed to require data sharing and transparency. Commissioners asked whether cities receive any financial benefit from permitting testing; the department said it was not aware of any.

The commission did not take formal action on regulation at the meeting; Commissioners and staff said they are working with allies in city government and other stakeholders to press companies and regulators for safer deployment and better data sharing.

The Fire Commission is expected to continue oversight and to press for interagency coordination on data, incident reporting and public safety options.