San Diego’s transit board on Thursday approved a resolution to oppose the expansion of driverless car services in the region without local oversight or regulation.
The 12-1 vote by San Diego Metropolitan Transit System directors comes as Waymo cars have been spotted on local streets during preliminary operations in the San Diego region. The firm, an affiliate of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, plans to launch autonomous taxi services later this year.
The board’s recommendations include urging the state Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom “to restore local control and the right of communities to vote on whether autonomous vehicles may operate in their jurisdictions.”
MTS also will submit formal protests to the California Public Utilities Commission and California Department of Motor Vehicles regarding Waymo, while seeking to bar driverless vehicles from serving travelers at San Diego International Airport.
“No corporation should be allowed to quietly replace people with machines just to boost profits, especially without local communities having any say,” said Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera, chair of the Taxi Advisory Committee in a news release. “We are drawing a line: corporate profit must not come at the expense of people’s livelihoods or our democracy.”
The taxi committee considered recommendations in November at Elo-Rivera’s behest, citing issues of local autonomy, safety on the streets and unfair competition for drivers who make their living providing rides to the public. Once the committee approved the items, they moved on to the full MTS board for review.
“We believe the public deserves a real debate and discussion before our streets are handed over to autonomous vehicles,” said Mikhail Hussein, President of the United Taxi Workers of San Diego.
Elo-Rivera also said that “small business owners and working-class drivers jump through endless hoops to do business,” but companies like Waymo undergo what he called “a 20-day desk review.
“That’s not innovation,” he said. “It’s corporate privilege.”
The San Diego Seniors Community Foundation took issue with the MTS board’s action. Paul Downey, the foundation’s chief advocacy officer, called it “deeply disappointing.”
“We fully support thoughtful regulation, safety standards, and workforce transition planning,” he said in a statement. “But blanket opposition sends the wrong signal at a time when San Diego’s senior population is growing rapidly and aging in place is both a personal preference and a public necessity.
In November, when the taxi committee considered Elo-Rivera’s proposal, Waymo issued a statement saying that “in each new city, we prioritize continuous learning, engagement and collaboration with local communities and stakeholders.”
Waymo began operations in Miami late last year. Aside from San Diego, other rollouts this year are set to include Houston and San Antonio. Waymo also is testing a new vehicle, called Ojai, according to published reports out of the recent CES 2026, the consumer electronics showcase in Las Vegas.
Other companies in the growing industry include Tesla and Zoox, part of Amazon.
Updated 4:30 p.m. Jan. 15, 2026
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