A Minneapolis councilman claimed self-driving cars are killing pets, then pushed rules that would all but sideline the technology citywide.
Story Highlights
- Minneapolis passed an ordinance requiring a paid human “monitor” in every driverless ride
- Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed the measure, calling it a backdoor ban on innovation
- Council Member Jason Chavez tied support to claims autonomous cars killed cats
- Waymo said the mandate amounts to a de facto ban on autonomous vehicles
Council Passes Human-Monitor Mandate, Mayor Issues Swift Veto
The Minneapolis City Council voted 7-6 to require a licensed human “safety monitor” in the driver’s seat of every autonomous rideshare vehicle operating in the city. The ordinance also created a city license for companies and gave the monitor direct access to steering, braking, and acceleration, which defeats the core purpose of automation. Hours later, Mayor Jacob Frey said he would veto the measure, arguing that forcing a driver into a driverless car “doesn’t make sense” and would chill innovation.
Mayor Frey framed the council action as a backdoor ban that sends a closed-for-business message. He said the city should welcome new options while crafting reasonable safety rules, not write policies that effectively block them. The ordinance’s supporters argued their plan protects workers and the public, but opponents noted the mandate would raise costs and make commercial deployment unworkable. The narrow margin showed a deeply split council and a policy fight not driven by hard data.
‘Hide Your Cats’: Claim About Pet Deaths Sparks Mockery And Distrust
Council Member Jason Chavez defended the ordinance by claiming autonomous vehicles have killed cats. He said, “I will say cats have been killed and cats have been killed by these autonomous vehicles,” adding that he owns a cat and does not want it hurt. The comment drew wide ridicule online and in local coverage. Chavez did not present Minneapolis-specific evidence tying recent pet deaths to driverless cars during the meeting.
Waymo, which is testing vehicles in Minneapolis, called the human-monitor rule a “de facto ban.” The company told local outlets the framework would stop their service before it starts and deny residents safer late-night rides and broader access. Media reports and city materials confirmed the rule would apply to Waymo and other firms like Tesla and Zoox, placing a paid human in every vehicle and adding a city license layer.
Licensing Layer And Labor Goals Drive The Policy Design
The ordinance, branded “Workers Drive Minneapolis,” required companies to obtain a city license and keep a paid, licensed driver in the seat at all times, with immediate control of the vehicle. Sponsors argued this would protect rideshare jobs and ensure accountability. City updates circulated by supporters outlined the licensing framework, start date, and standards for the human monitor role, reflecting a focus on labor and local control rather than purely technology performance.
Critics said the licensing-plus-human-driver structure guts the core efficiency of autonomous fleets and undercuts consumer choice. They warned it would push service away from Minneapolis, leaving seniors, late-shift workers, and families with fewer safe, affordable rides. They also noted that adding a paid monitor to every trip erases any cost savings, which means the public pays more for less innovation and fewer options.
What Conservatives Should Watch: Common Sense, Not Culture War Rules
City leaders set rules that shape the market. When those rules hinge on slogans or fear, taxpayers and families lose. Here, the council rushed a mandate that functionally outlaws a class of service while pointing to anecdotes about pets. The mayor’s veto acknowledges a basic truth: policy should target clear, proven risks with narrow, smart tools, not broad bans wrapped in new hiring mandates or licensing hurdles that serve political allies.
Minneapolis has written a rule that lets a commercial car drive itself, so long as a licensed, paid human sits within reach of the controls. The City Council passed it Thurs, 7–6. Waymo calls the sentence a ban. The sponsors call it Workers Drive Minneapolis. Both are reading… pic.twitter.com/AX5CA93fnK
— DigitalAssetsUS 🇺🇸🫡 (@DigitalAssetsUS) October 2, 2026
Conservatives should press for transparent safety data, clear liability rules, and strong penalties for actual harm. They should also resist local overreach that hides behind “safety” while blocking competition and workarounds to market demand. If a city wants to improve safety, it can enforce traffic laws, set reporting standards, and demand incident data sharing—without forcing a paid driver into every driverless car. That approach respects innovation, consumer choice, and common sense.
Sources:
foxnews.com, kstp.com, noticias.foxnews.com, minnesotareformer.com, fox9.com, ground.news
