Minneapolis is considering an ordinance to require human monitors inside autonomous vehicles, which would effectively ban driverless operations. The San Diego City Council passed a resolution seeking to block Waymo from the airport and give local agencies direct control over AVs in emergencies. And Austin firefighters have expressed concern over the Tesla Cybercab’s lack of steering wheel or pedals, which they argue could lead to issues if first responders need to move a stalled vehicle. They want to require AV developers to establish dedicated, rapid-response towing protocols and direct human operator communications for emergency situations.
It’s not just cities or blue states taking a harder line, either — the pushback is blurring traditional political lines. It used to be the case that Republicans were seen as more welcoming of autonomous vehicles, while Democrats were seen as more skeptical. This has certainly borne out in a handful of Democrat-led cities — New York City, Chicago, Washington, DC — that still haven’t legalized driverless cars. But now even some red states are considering tightening the leash, including Kentucky, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Iowa.
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