Minneapolis council fails to override mayoral veto of ban on driverless robotaxis

A Waymo vehicle exits a charging lot on January 15, 2026 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)The Minneapolis City Council failed to override a mayoral veto of an ordinance that would have required Waymo and other robotaxi companies to put human “safety monitors” behind the wheel and pay them minimum rates. The proposal aimed to protect the jobs of the state’s roughly 10,000 rideshare drivers, who have become well organized since successfully campaigning for statewide minimum pay rates and job protections. Council Member Robin Wonsley, the lead author of the ordinance, vowed to continue the fight immediately after the vote Thursday, giving formal notice that she would introduce another proposal to regulate autonomous vehicles for commercial purposes. “To our residents, I want you to know we see you, and that there’s members of this body that’s continuously fighting for you,” Wonsley said. “We cannot simply allow Big Tech to come into our communities and steal thousands