SAN FRANCISCO — Tired of San Francisco streets being used as a testing ground for the latest delivery technology and transportation apps, city leaders are now requiring businesses to get permits before trying out new high-tech ideas in public.
Supporters of the legislation, which the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Tuesday, say it is the first of its kind in the U.S. They say it’s long overdue in a city that’s a hub for major tech companies but is more accustomed to reacting to the sudden arrival of new technology — like hundreds of dockless electric scooters that appeared overnight last year.
The e-scooter trend has led to complaints from people in cities across the country.
The tech industry has showered San Francisco with high-paying jobs and cemented its reputation as a place for big ideas, but the success of home-grown companies Airbnb, Lyft and Uber has vexed some residents as streets have become more congested and the housing shortage has worsened.
