Minneapolis Lawmaker Stumbles Over 'Autonomous' in Driverless Car Debate
City Council Vice President Jamal Osman's verbal gaffe during a meeting on vehicle regulations was widely shared online.
Minneapolis City Council Vice President Jamal Osman experienced an awkward moment during a council meeting when he struggled to pronounce the word "autonomous" while discussing proposed regulations for self-driving vehicles. The incident occurred as the council debated an ordinance that would require commercial autonomous vehicle companies operating in Minneapolis to obtain a city license and employ a licensed human safety monitor.
Osman, who represents Minneapolis’ Ward 6 and is a prominent figure in the city's Somali-American community, repeatedly stumbled over the word "autonomous" before referring to the vehicles as "anonymous." The brief verbal slip was captured on video and circulated on social media platforms, drawing commentary.
The proposed ordinance, also supported by fellow council members Robin Wonsley, Jason Chavez, and Aurin Chowdhury, is scheduled for a public hearing on September 22. The lawmakers behind the proposal aim to address safety concerns and protect the livelihoods of individuals who currently earn income through ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft.
"I am really concerned about thousands of my residents losing their jobs because rideshare is the way they make their income," Osman told CBS Minnesota. The ordinance would mandate that a human monitor be present in the driver's seat of a commercial autonomous vehicle, with immediate access to its controls.
Council members have expressed concern that without immediate action, thousands of rideshare drivers could face economic disruption from competition with large technology companies and their autonomous vehicles, which are not currently regulated by the city in the same manner as ride-sharing services.
Osman, born in Somalia, immigrated to Minnesota as a teenager and became the first Somali American to hold the position of Minneapolis City Council Vice President in January. His verbal stumble comes amidst a broader political context for the Somali-American community in Minnesota, which is home to a significant population of Somali descent.
Earlier this year, former President Donald Trump made critical remarks about the Somali community in Minnesota, accusing members of the community of defrauding government programs and stating he did not want them in the country. These remarks drew widespread criticism from Somali community leaders and Minnesota officials who argued against generalizing the actions of individuals to an entire population.
Democratic U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar, also from Minnesota and a frequent target of Trump, faced allegations last week from a Department of Homeland Security investigation regarding her immigration status and past marriage. Omar has denied these allegations.
Minnesota has become a major hub for Somali-Americans in the United States, with an estimated 84,000 residing in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area as of 2024. This population is part of an estimated 260,000 Somali descendants living across the United States.