San Diego City Council Demands Control Over Waymo Robotaxis
Council votes to seek authority over driverless cars following their September 1 launch, citing safety and operational concerns.
San Diego's City Council has passed a resolution calling for state control over the operation of Waymo's driverless ride-hailing fleet, following the autonomous vehicles' launch in the city on September 1. The council voted 8-0 on Monday to assert local authority, after the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved Waymo's expansion into San Diego without local oversight.
During the council meeting, residents and council members voiced concerns regarding the safety and impact of the robotaxis. Councilmember Sean Elo Rivera emphasized that the resolution is not anti-technology but focused on community impact. Concerns were also raised about potential disruptions to existing taxi services, particularly at the San Diego Airport. Councilmember Marni von Wilpert highlighted the critical role of taxi drivers at the airport as a source of livelihood and questioned how Waymo's presence would affect them.
Clips were shown during the meeting depicting driverless cars obstructing emergency responders and traffic. "This is unacceptable," von Wilpert stated, stressing that autonomous vehicles should not impede emergency vehicles responding to life-or-death situations.
Waymo's state and local policy manager, Adam Lane, countered by referencing a CPUC review in 2025 and presenting company data that indicated a significant reduction in serious injury crashes. He stated that Waymo has completed thousands of safe trips and has engaged in local collaboration, including training nearly 300 San Diego first responders and conducting testing at the airport for three months.
The approved resolution urges Sacramento to grant San Diego control over the autonomous vehicles. It also seeks to empower fire and police departments with the authority to track, stop, or move Waymo vehicles during emergencies. Furthermore, the resolution aims to prohibit driverless cars from operating at the airport.
Last month, Waymo received approval from the CPUC to expand its services into San Diego and Sacramento, in addition to broadening operations in Los Angeles and the Bay Area. The company stated that this expansion is a significant step towards bringing safety and mobility benefits to more Californians, and that the rollout would be gradual and guided by their safety framework. Waymo also committed to keeping local officials and residents informed throughout the process.