SFMTA says AV companies were asked to avoid key streets; geofencing remains largely voluntary

SFMTA Director Julie Kirschbaum told the committee the agency has requested autonomous vehicle companies to restrict operations on specific streets near viewing areas and is working with Waymo and Zoox to coordinate activity during Fleet Week. "We are working, though, with the AV companies to restrict operations and just avoid some key streets, like Lombard and Venice and the Embarcadero," Kirschbaum said.

Kirschbaum described the outreach as voluntary for planned events, noting the city has limited statutory authority for mandatory geofencing outside of narrow emergency uses. Jared Hornbostel, the agency traffic engineer, added that geofencing decisions consider hospitals and neighborhood access and that SFMTA aims to preserve key egress corridors while minimizing neighborhood disruption. Committee members pressed on whether planners would request geofences for specific segments (for example, the crooked segment of Lombard and a northern segment of Van Ness) and MTA staff said those conversations are ongoing and tailored to local access and safety needs.