Why Waymo, a Google-owned company, is suing a Tesla driver

A company that produces autonomous cars Pendulum filed lawsuits against two people accused of vandalizing autonomous vehicles in San Francisco. One lawsuit alleges that Konstantine Nikki-Sher Piterman intentionally rear-ended a Waymo Jaguar crossover with his Tesla Model 3. Piterman is accused of bragging about the incident on social media and even seeking a job from Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
According to the lawsuit, the driver, Konstantine Nikka-Sher Piterman, claimed in a post on X that “Waymo simply turned me off” before asking Tesla CEO Elon Musk for a job. In the Tesla case, Piterman allegedly “unlawfully, maliciously and intentionally” drove his car through a stop sign and hit a Waymo car in San Francisco on March 19, according to the company’s lawsuit. When Waymo tried to pull over, Piterman allegedly drove the Tesla back into the Waymo car. He then allegedly drove into Waymo, according to the lawsuit, and later threatened a Waymo representative who personally arrived at the scene. San Francisco police also cited Piterman for the incident, according to the lawsuit.
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Google-owned Waymo has demanded that Piterman reimburse Waymo $45,795 for repairs and lost time. The company also ordered Piterman to immediately delete his post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, according to the lawsuit. Waymo sued Piterman after he failed to respond.
The second lawsuit involves Ronaile Burton, who is accused of slashing the tires of at least 19 Waymo vehicles. Burton now faces criminal charges for that alleged vandalism.
Waymo is seeking damages for repairs, lost time, and punitive damages. The company says the incidents not only caused financial losses but also damaged its reputation and public perception of autonomous vehicle technology.
The lawsuits come amid growing tensions between self-driving car companies and the public. While Waymo and other companies are investing heavily in developing autonomous vehicles, they have also faced criticism over safety concerns and potential job losses in the transportation industry.