On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors approved a motion put forth by Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Janice Hahn expressing support for Senate Bill 915 (SB 915) which would prioritize local control in the deployment of autonomous vehicle services. Horvath represents the Westside.

SB 915, formally known as the Autonomous Vehicle Service Deployment and Data Transparency Act, was introduced in the California State Senate in January 2024 by Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose).

On February 2nd, the Teamsters Union and other labor allies gathered for a rally outside of Los Angeles City Hall in support of SB 915.

“California has an opportunity to put safety first, and that starts with passing SB 915. It’s past time we give local governments a say in how this dangerous technology impacts their communities,” said Chris Griswold, Teamsters International Vice President At-Large and President of Teamsters Joint Council 42. “The Teamsters applaud Sen. Cortese for introducing SB 915 and urge state lawmakers to prioritize safety over big tech by passing this bill into law.”

Also in attendance in support of the bill were L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger and L.A. City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez, who represents a portion of the Westside in Hollywood.

“Our city should not be a test subject for the tech industry,” Soto-Martinez said. “SB 915 will help keep California roads safe, and put power back in the hands of local communities.”

In 2022, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted to permit Google-owned Waymo and General Motors-owned Cruise to expand their driverless car operations and allow them to charge passengers for driverless rides without a human driver present.

In January, Waymo indicated its intent to expand its deployment operation to portions of the Los Angeles area. Despite state approval, local jurisdictions opposed the deployment of the driverless passenger service.

In San Francisco in October of 2023, a hit-and-run driver struck a pedestrian, tossing the woman into the path of a Cruise self-driving taxi that then drove over the woman and pinned her under the car.

The Department of Motor Vehicles then ordered Cruise to immediately stop all operations in California. In December of 2023, the City and County of San Francisco filed a lawsuit against the State of California for “unlawful” authorization of self-driving cars and demanded that the CPUC reconsider its decision to allow autonomous vehicles to operate as a paid taxi service.

The goal of SB 915 is to prioritize local control in the deployment of autonomous vehicle services. Contingent upon approval from the CPUC and the Department of Motor Vehicles, the legislation would prevent the deployment of autonomous vehicle services in a geographic location until the local jurisdiction passes an ordinance authorizing the operation.

The bill is patterned after existing law that provides for local regulation of taxicab companies which requires taxicab companies to have a valid permit to operate in a local jurisdiction. The motion states SB 915 would help maintain safety for pedestrians, passengers, and other vehicles, and establish a community-centered approach, according to the motion.

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