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Robotaxi oversight is now a priority at Los Angeles City Hall .
At a printing press briefing on Wednesday , Councilmember Hugo Soto - Martínez toldWaymoandCruisethat their robotaxis are not welcome .
“ The purpose of this press event is to send a very clear message about golem taxis , and say that they do not go in the urban center of Los Angeles , ” sound out Soto - Martínez . The councilmember added , “ We understand that they place a threat to pedestrian , bicyclist and motorist and risk putting countless of worker out of study . rent me be clear , the metropolis of Los Angeles should not be a test national for the tech diligence . ”
Statewide agencies , including the DMV and California Public Utilities Commission ( CPUC ) , are responsible for regulating self-directed vehicles ( AVs ) in California . Yet , the conflict over robotaxis largely has revolve around around San Francisco , near Waymo ’s and Cruise ’s headquarters . As these company extend , the proverbial battleground is expand , too , and that ’s tell by several Modern statements from LA lawgiver .
During the Wednesday briefing , Soto - Martínez harbinger a motion with support from Councilmember Imelda Padilla . The movement call for LA ’s city attorney to joinSan Francisco ’s robotaxi lawsuitagainst the California Public Utilities Commission . A key point of the lawsuit is to push the CPUC to create unexampled incident reporting rules for robotaxi companies .
Soto - Martínez cite incident involving Waymo and Cruise AVs at the briefing , include an October 2 crash that direct theDMV to suspend Cruise ’s permission .
“ Do n’t let their slogan , ‘ do n’t be evil , ’ frivol away you , ” said Soto - Martínez , referencing Waymo ’s owner . “ Google ’s robotaxi company is not one of the good guy wire . It ’s just another big tech firm seek to put net income over multitude . ”
Councilmember Padilla spoke in short at the rostrum . “ This has everything to do with make trusted that the streets of Los Angeles are safe , and we just do n’t have that promise yet from this sort of engineering , ” state Padilla . “ It ’s also about create trusted that we protect jobs , and we just do n’t have that promise yet from this industry , ” the councilmember added .
sail representative Hannah Lindow told TechCrunch that the party “ has driven more than 5 M driverless miles significantly outgo the human ridehail benchmark for safety . ” Lindow also pointed to awhite newspaper , say it point that Cruise ’s electron volt were involve in fewer collisions “ when benchmarked against human ridehail drivers in a like driving environment . ”
Waymo representative Chris Bonelli get off TechCrunch a statement that say the society “ prioritizes work transparently with policymakers . ” The program line added that Waymo ’s destination is to improve road safety and corroborate the “ realm ’s transit , equity and sustainability goals . ” It end noting , “ Based on many productive conversations we ’ve had with city loss leader , we ’re confident we can solve together to do that . ”
During the Q&A that follow , TechCrunch asked if any constituents had raised specific concerns about robotaxis . Soto - Martínez replied that he “ would have to check , ” tally , “ I sleep together they voted for someone to head on these value . ”
Teamsters leader , including the labor movement union ’s frailty president at - large Chris Griswold , also pay heed the briefing . Soto - Martínez did not say who first approached whom about robotaxis when asked by TechCrunch .
Companies including Waymo and Cruise have operate in LA for year . Waymo set out mapping the city in 2019 and part testing robotaxi rides with its employees in Santa Monica around early 2023 . When TechCrunch asked why the union is so focussed on Ab now , Griswold said , “ It ’s being rolled out aright now and we ’re not sure that safety has been really addressed . ” He added , “ Also , you have to go back to the human aspect of lose job . ” That last flake explains why Teamsters is involve .
Griswold tell TechCrunch , “ We see that these companieswill want to take it to the next level to start doing delivery , maybe sanitation . And these are all good middle - class problem that are going to be lose . ” Griswold said the union would “ attack ” the offspring “ everywhere in the United States , ” including in Texas and Arizona , where robotaxi company also work .
Just two LA lawgiver were present at the league on Wednesday . Yet by the elevators , Councilmember Nithya Raman tell TechCrunch that she “ has questions about them , ” referring to Av . She added , “ We ’re ferment with the DOT to fancy out how to better regulate them . ”
Last hebdomad , two other LA councilmembers — Traci Park and Bob Blumenfield — game a motioncalling for more reporting on the council ’s power to regulate AVs . A sum of 15 councilmembers represent the city of LA ’s nearly 4 million resident physician .
Updated on Oct 26 with a comment from Cruise .
