Senator Luis Sepulveda Proposes Ban on Driverless For-Hire Vehicles

Luis Sepulveda, a New York State Senator, is proposing legislation that would prohibit for-hire motor vehicles from operating via automated driving systems unless a human driver is seated behind the steering wheel and actively driving. Sepulveda argues the measure is necessary to protect over 100,000 taxi and Uber drivers, particularly immigrants in his district, from sudden job loss. He suggests that companies like Waymo, which stand to make billions, should pay for the resulting disruption to the labor force.

Critics of the proposal, including author Adam Thierer and columnist John Stossel, contend that the restrictions prioritize jobs over public safety. They cite data indicating that human error causes 94% of all accidents and argue that robotaxis are significantly safer than human drivers. Waymo claims its vehicles are 10 times safer than human-driven cars, a figure supported by reinsurance data showing an 88% reduction in property damage claims and a 92% reduction in bodily injury claims.

Sepulveda has countered these safety claims by citing a specific incident in California where a Waymo vehicle struck a child, asserting that the company's safety data is not absolute.