On Sept. 14, the San Diego City Council unanimously approved a resolution calling for greater local control over autonomous vehicle operations and stronger protections for workers and public safety as artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicle technology expand.
According to a press release from District 9 Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera, the resolution urges the California Legislature and Governor to restore local authority over whether autonomous vehicle passenger service may operate within local jurisdictions. It also supports state and federal efforts addressing the impacts of AI and autonomous vehicles on workers and calls for stronger coordination between autonomous vehicle operators, the City, and public safety agencies.
“Thousands of San Diegans pay their bills by driving, and no one gave them a say in robots threatening their livelihoods,” said Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera. “I am not against the technology. I am against corporations taking the profit, working San Diegans taking the loss, and our city taking the risk while nobody here gets a vote. San Diego should not be a testing ground against our will and San Diegans should not be lab rats for an experiment run by tech billionaires.”
Thousands of San Diegans earn their living through taxi, rideshare, transportation network company, and delivery driving. The resolution recognizes the role taxi, rideshare, and delivery drivers play in the local economy and calls for technological advancement to occur alongside protections for workers, ADA accessibility, public safety, and local infrastructure.
“Whether you’re a rideshare user, a taxicab driver, or a first responder answering the call when something goes wrong, this resolution is about you,” said Councilmember Marni von Wilpert, Chair of the Public Safety Committee. “It’s about demanding control over what operates on our streets. Innovation is not the concern—innovation without collaboration, and at the erosion of workers and public safety, is.”
Among its provisions, the resolution:
- Urges the California Legislature and Governor to restore local control and legislative authority over autonomous vehicle passenger service operations.
- Supports state legislation addressing the impacts of AI and autonomous vehicles on labor and employment.
- Supports H.R. 10033, the AV Emergency Response Coordination Act, which would establish federal emergency coordination requirements for autonomous vehicle manufacturers and operators.
- Calls for cooperation between AV operators, City staff, and state and local enforcement on public safety and compliance.
- Urges the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority to prohibit driverless vehicle operations at San Diego International Airport.
- Calls on AV operators to comply with local noise and nuisance laws, reduce unnecessary empty-vehicle circulation, limit loading zones to active loading rather than staging or storage, and protect residents’ personal and travel data.
- Calls for charging hubs and fleet facilities to avoid sensitive locations, including residential neighborhoods, schools, healthcare institutions, and public safety facilities.
- Calls for the City to explore a process for tracking and monitoring AV violations and other public safety impacts.
Transportation workers who joined the Councilmembers on Sept. 14 said local communities should have a greater role in determining how autonomous vehicles operate on their streets.
“Taxi cabs, Non-Emergency Medical Vehicles, even private jitneys are all locally regulated by MTS to protect the public’s interest and Autonomous Vehicles, including WAYMO, Zoox, and Tesla, should be locally regulated too,” said United Taxi Workers of San Diego in the press release.
In the same statement, Luis Arias, President and Founder of San Diego Drivers United, emphasized the potential consequences of autonomous vehicle deployment for the workers who have long provided transportation services throughout the region.
“Drivers are not disposable. For years, San Diego’s taxi and rideshare drivers have used their own vehicles, invested their own money, and worked long hours to keep our city moving. Now, autonomous vehicle companies are entering our streets without drivers and local communities having a meaningful voice in the decisions that will affect their safety, livelihoods, and future.
“San Diego Drivers United recognizes that this technology is coming, but progress cannot mean pushing thousands of hardworking drivers aside. We demand strong local oversight, enforceable public-safety protections, and a real seat at the table for drivers. The people who built this industry deserve to be protected, respected, and included in its future.”
Michael Letendre, a San Diego Uber driver and member of the California Gig Workers Union, said workers are not opposed to innovation but want transparency, accountability, and a voice in decisions affecting the streets where they work.
“Decisions about what happens on our streets should not be made behind closed doors by corporations without the people who live here having a voice.”
“As an Uber driver, I’m not anti-technology. I am deeply concerned about what happens when autonomous vehicles operate without enough transparency, accountability or local oversight.”
Speakers also addressed what the rapid development of AI and autonomous technologies could mean for the next generation of San Diegans.
Looking into the future, progress shouldn’t mean that we create a better future for technology while creating a harder future for the people who have worked tirelessly to build one for themselves and their families,” said Summer Rashidi, a recent UC San Diego graduate.
“We should be able to embrace innovation while making sure working people and young people still have a place in the future we’re building.”
The resolution also calls on autonomous vehicle operators to work cooperatively with the City on responsible operations as the technology expands, including emergency response coordination, curbside management, noise, congestion, and data privacy.
