A Cruise self-driving taxi blocked emergency responders attending to a mass shooting in San Francisco, raising questions about how safely autonomous vehicles can respond to unpredictable situations.

According to a video shared online, an official complained the car was 'blocking emergency, medical and fire — I gotta get it out of here now.' 

However, Cruise said the car did not block emergency access to the scene 'at any point'. 'All vehicles, including emergency response vehicles, were able to proceed around our car,' the company insisted. 

California’s Public Utilities Commission had been considering whether to broaden permissions for Cruise and Waymo.