Minneapolis Wants a Human Hand on the Wheel of Every Waymo Robotaxi

When Waymo rolled out its test fleet in Minneapolis, the cars were already carrying a person in the driver’s seat – either behind the wheel or just watching the screens while the vehicle collected data. That’s the norm for early‑stage trials, but the city council is now looking to make that arrangement permanent.

According to a proposal dubbed “Workers Drive Minneapolis,” any autonomous‑rideshare operator would have to obtain a city licence – nothing unusual there – and, more importantly, a licensed driver would have to be within arm’s reach of the controls at all times. The rule also says that driver must earn at least the local minimum wage.

City Council Member Robin Wonsley framed the measure as a public‑safety safeguard and a job‑preservation effort. “Workers Drive Minneapolis is about protecting immigrant workers from losing their livelihoods to automation,” she told the Star Tribune. “Without it, our residents are vulnerable to the negative impacts of robotaxis with no accountability.”

Waymo didn’t take it lightly. The company called the requirement “a de‑facto ban on autonomous vehicles,” noting that paying a human to sit in the seat erodes the very economics that make driverless fleets attractive. In plain terms, the cost could make Minneapolis a non‑starter for Waymo’s expansion.

Supporters of the rule argue it’s not just about wages. Abdulahi Abshair, a three‑year veteran of rideshare driving and organizer with SEIU Local 26, said, “We help passengers who are intoxicated, we carry groceries for seniors, we listen when someone’s having a rough day. A robotaxi can’t do that. Having a human in the seat makes the whole community safer and nicer.”

Safety concerns are real, too. Waymo’s autonomous pods have already caused hiccups in other markets – blocking emergency responders, skirting stopped school buses, and even cruising through a police felony stop. While the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) points out that overall crash rates for robotaxis are lower than for human drivers, those isolated incidents still fuel worries.

The proposal puts a spotlight on a larger debate: Do we let machines take over the wheel entirely and risk displacing thousands of drivers, or do we keep a human presence to preserve jobs and add a layer of accountability? Minneapolis isn’t the first city to push back; Boston, for example, famously voted against Waymo’s plans.

A public hearing is slated for September 22. If the council votes in favor, Waymo would have to decide whether to keep operating in the Twin Cities under the new human‑driver requirement – a decision that could set a precedent for other municipalities wrestling with the same question.