City and state officials across the U.S. are writing their own rules for robotaxis as federal legislation on autonomous vehicles remains stalled in Congress, creating a growing patchwork of local regulations that industry leaders had hoped to avoid. Municipalities generally cannot set vehicle manufacturing standards, but they hold broad authority over street operations, and they are using it to govern how self-driving cars roll out.
Minneapolis is weighing an ordinance that would require human monitors inside autonomous vehicles, effectively barring driverless operations. The San Diego City Council passed a resolution aimed at keeping Waymo away from the airport and giving local agencies direct control over AVs during emergencies. In Austin, firefighters have raised concerns about the Tesla Cybercab's lack of a steering wheel or pedals, arguing that first responders could struggle to move a stalled vehicle; they want AV developers to set up dedicated rapid-response towing protocols and direct communication with human operators in emergencies.
The pushback is crossing party lines. Republicans were once seen as more receptive to autonomous vehicles and Democrats more skeptical, a pattern that has held in Democrat-led New York City, Chicago, and Washington, DC, none of which has legalized driverless cars. Now red states including Kentucky, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Iowa are considering tighter restrictions as well.
Even in California, lawmakers are weighing bills that would give cities direct authority to cap AV fleet sizes, limit operating hours, or enact local permit bans. Emergency protocols drafted there would require AV companies to give local police and fire departments physical override access or remote shut-off mechanisms. Some municipalities are also using land-use and zoning powers: Culver City explored emergency moratoriums on building permits for AV fleet facilities, and Santa Monica used local noise and traffic ordinances to restrict 24-hour charging hubs.
The regulatory landscape has shifted markedly since Nevada passed the first law legalizing self-driving cars on public roads in June 2011, three years before Tesla's Autopilot arrived, five years before Waymo spun out of Google's self-driving car project, and seven years before the first commercial robotaxi service launched in Arizona. Google lobbied for the Nevada law because it saw the state as a prime testing ground, and the legislation even exempted drivers from text-messaging bans while automated systems were engaged.
As U.S. obstacles mount, AV developers are looking overseas. Waymo plans to expand service to London, Tokyo, and Munich, while Uber is preparing vehicles for Manchester, Madrid, and Dubai. The U.S. still offers the industry its best chance at profitability, so Waymo, Zoox, and Aurora are prioritizing states with explicit legislative preemption that prevents cities from banning the technology, and trade groups such as the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association are pressing for broader preemption powers and unified standards.
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