Residents Say Autonomous Taxi Hubs Brought Sleepless Nights, Prompting the City to Order Shutdowns
Santa Monica officials have directed autonomous taxi operator Waymo to halt late-night charging at two neighborhood facilities following months of complaints about noise and increased vehicle activity. The City Council approved the order unanimously last week, requiring the company to stop operations between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. at its charging hubs on the 1200 and 1300 blocks of Broadway.
Residents living near the stations began reporting issues shortly after the hubs opened in late 2024, according to city staff. Complaints centered on the constant movement of autonomous vehicles in adjacent alleys, beeping from reverse sensors, and mechanical noise from charging equipment. A letter obtained by the Los Angeles Times shows the city warned Waymo that litigation was possible if it failed to comply with the overnight shutdown directive.
Waymo, which can charge up to 56 vehicles at once at the two sites, told the city in July that it had made several adjustments, including lowering reverse-alert volumes on its robotaxis and reducing alley congestion. But residents argued the changes fell short and said they had never been notified that large-scale charging depots would be operating in their neighborhoods.
The company that handles the charging for Waymo, Volterra, has allegedly insisted that they were immune from regulation and could conduct their operations however they wanted to while downplaying complaints from residents who lived nearby.
The company has rapidly expanded its Los Angeles footprint while the dispute unfolded. In June, Waymo announced an expansion of its service area to more than 120 square miles, offering autonomous rides through Playa del Rey, Echo Park, Silver Lake, Ladera Heights, and stretches of the Sunset Boulevard corridor. Earlier this month, Waymo said its driverless taxis would begin using freeways in both Los Angeles and San Francisco, extending trip distances and broadening route options.
