Minneapolis lawmakers are moving to require a licensed human being behind the wheel of every driverless vehicle operating in the city, even as companies like Waymo push toward a fully autonomous future. The Minneapolis City Council has proposed an ordinance that would force any company running commercial autonomous vehicles to keep a paid human safety monitor in the driver's seat, with immediate access to steering, braking, and acceleration controls. A public hearing on the measure is scheduled for September 22.
The ordinance, drafted under the title “Workers Drive Minneapolis,” would also require autonomous vehicle operators to obtain a city license by October 2027 if the measure is approved, according to a report from MPR News. The bill was drafted by council members Robin Wonsley, Jamal Osman, Jason Chavez, and Aurin Chowdhury. The ordinance's authors said they proposed the measure out of concern for traffic safety and the job security of thousands of Uber and Lyft drivers, per the same MPR News report.
Waymo has been testing automated cars in Minneapolis since November 2025, and its vehicles currently carry a human driver in the front seat, though they are not yet picking up passengers in the city. The company plans to eventually scale up to offering rides without anyone in the driver's seat. Waymo's announcement describes Minneapolis as an expansion site for testing its 6th-generation autonomous technology, which uses automated sensor-cleaning mechanisms and specialized AI, under winter conditions including heavy snow and ice, according to a Waymo announcement.
Labor Groups See An Existential Threat
Local labor groups have raised concerns about Waymo and potential job losses, according to KARE 11. Those drivers recently organized to secure minimum compensation guarantees after lengthy disputes with rideshare platforms. Under the proposed ordinance, any human safety monitor required in an autonomous vehicle would also have to be paid at least minimum wage.
Company and automated-vehicle supporters point to studies indicating autonomous cars are safer than traditional vehicles with drivers, per the MPR News report. By March 2026, Waymo was providing 500,000 weekly paid trips across 10 U.S. cities, and it cited data showing its autonomous system experienced a 90% reduction in serious-injury crashes across 127 million autonomous miles, according to a SQ Magazine.
A State-Level Vacuum Leaves Cities To Act
Minnesota currently has no specific regulations for autonomous vehicles, and state legislators did not pass proposed autonomous-vehicle oversight rules during the 2026 session. In March, Minnesota House Bill 3513, which sought to establish a statewide regulatory framework for connected and automated vehicles while explicitly preempting local municipalities from setting their own rules or fees, failed to pass following a party-line vote in the House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee, as reported by Minnesota House Session Daily. Hoodline previously covered that bill's stall at the Capitol.
Because the legislative session ended without passing any statewide autonomous vehicle oversight rules or municipal preemption laws, local cities were left in a legal void to construct their own regulatory frameworks, according to the Urban Robotics Foundation. Minnesota's approach also includes a Connected and Automated Vehicles Advisory Council that supports policy and safety discussions.
Curb Chaos In Other Cities Fuels The Push
Curb-management concerns in early robotaxi markets have fueled interest in city-level rules. Minneapolis's proactive approach reflects a focus on municipal licensing standards and operational oversight before commercial robotaxis transition to driverless mode, a move Hoodline detailed this summer.
The question of enforcement for driverless fleets remains separate from Minneapolis's proposed licensing requirement. Minneapolis's proposed licensing requirement and October 2027 effective date, if approved by the City Council and mayor, would put the city ahead of any statewide framework Minnesota lawmakers might revisit in future sessions.
Whether the ordinance survives its September 22 public hearing, and whether it triggers a legal challenge over municipal authority or a renewed push for state preemption at the Capitol, remains to be seen. For now, Waymo's cars keep circling Minneapolis streets with a person in the driver's seat, and the fight over who keeps that seat is just getting started.
