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Minneapolis City Council to vote on overriding mayor’s driverless car veto
The Minneapolis City Council is expected to vote on whether to override Mayor Jacob Frey’s veto of proposed regulations for driverless cars and cyber cabs. The ordinance would require a human safety monitor in autonomous vehicles, while St. Paul leaders are studying how the technology could affect the city.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minneapolis City Council failed to override Mayor Jacob Frey’s veto of an ordinance that would require autonomous vehicles — such as ones run by Waymo — to have a person in them while operating.
City Council fails to override mayor's veto
What we know:
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Mayor Frey vetoes Minneapolis City Council Waymo regulation
Mayor Jacob Frey spoke live with FOX 9's Courtney Godfrey on his decision to veto a requirement passed by the Minneapolis City Council that would have required a person to be inside driverless vehicles, including Waymos.
The city council passed the original ordinance by a narrow 7-6 margin, but nine votes were needed to overturn the mayor’s veto.
The backstory:
Frey vetoed the ordinance, telling FOX 9’s Courtney Godfrey that it was the council’s "backdoor way" of banning the technology in Minneapolis.
"This is a technology that exists already in a number of other cities that has been in use at this point for over a year, and I think we should embrace it in the city, and at the same time, we should regulate it," Frey said in an Oct. 2 interview. "We should make sure that it's safe."
RELATED: St. Paul council authorizes driverless vehicle study
Minneapolis robotaxi ordinance
Big picture view:
The ordinance mandates a city-issued license that requires a human safety monitor, with a driver’s license, to be in a driverless vehicle during operation and have immediate access to "steering, braking, and acceleration." Essentially, a person would need to be in the driver's seat, even if the vehicle’s artificial intelligence is doing the actual driving. That human safety monitor would also be paid minimum wage.
The full council approved the measure by a vote of 7-6 on Oct. 1, with members Elliott Payne, Robin Wonsley, Jamal Osman, Soren Stevenson, Jason Chavez, Aisha Chughtai and Aurin Chowdhury opting to pass the increased regulations.
What they're saying:
Supporters of the technology, popularized by companies such as Waymo, argue that the use of autonomous vehicles makes travel safer – both on the roads and for those opting to use them, citing reduced crashes and potential for assault and discrimination.
The other side:
Meanwhile, critics argue the advancement of the technology poses a threat to current rideshare workers.
The measure would have made Minneapolis the first U.S. city to require a person in the driver’s seat for what’s become known as "robotaxis."
The Source: FOX 9 has a crew at the Minneapolis City Council meeting on Thursday, Oct. 15. Additional information in this story comes from previous FOX 9 reporting.