California city goes to war with Waymo after it became next target for controversial robotaxis

San Diego is demanding the state give it control over how Waymo can operate after the company’s driverless ride-hailing fleet launched in the city on September 1.

The city council voted 8-0 on Monday to pass a resolution calling for control locally over robotaxis roaming the streets, after the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved Waymo’s application for the city outside of local authority, The Times of San Diego reported.

During the meeting, residents and several on council members expressed concerns self-driving cars in the city.

“This is definitely not an anti-technology resolution; it’s not an anti-innovation resolution; this is about people,” said councilmember Sean Elo Rivera.

Councilmember Marni von Wilpert, who also sits on the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, worried about how Waymo would impact taxi drivers at the airport.

“That is one of the last places that taxi drivers can make a living,” she said.

During a presentation, clips were played showing the driverless cars blocking first responders or stopped in the middle of traffic. 

“This is unacceptable,” von Wilpert said. “When our firefighters, our police officers, our ambulance drivers, our EMTs are responding to a 911 life or death emergency, every second counts. … Nothing should be in their way. Not a company, not an algorithm, not an autonomous driverless vehicle.”

Adam Lane, a state and local policy manager at Waymo, tried to ease concerns by saying the company underwent a review by the CPUC in 2025.

“Thousands of safe trips have already been completed,” Lane said, pointing to company data showing 94% fewer serious injury crashes.

“We are deeply invested in local collaboration, having already trained nearly 300 San Diego first responders and partnered with airport leadership through three months of testing at San Diego Airport to ensure orderly, safe curbside operations.”

The council voted to approve the resolution calling on Sacramento to give the city control of the vehicles, as well as granting fire departments and police the authority to “track, stop, or move empty vehicles during emergencies,” the Voice of San Diego reported.

The resolution would also prohibit driverless cars from being able to operate at the airport.

Last month, the CPUC gave the go-ahead for Waymo to expand into San Diego and Sacramento, as well as broaden services around Los Angeles and the Bay Area.

“This is an important milestone that will allow Waymo to bring the safety and mobility benefits millions of Californians already enjoy to more communities across the state,” the company said in a press release. 

The company noted the expansion “will be gradual and guided by our safety framework.”

“We look forward to bringing the same mobility and safety benefits millions of Californians already enjoy to more communities, keeping local officials and residents informed every step of the way,” Waymo said.