In a bold display of discontent, Uber and Lyft drivers took to the streets of San Francisco on January 9, 2026, protesting the proliferation of Waymo's autonomous robotaxis.
The demonstration, held outside the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) headquarters, highlighted growing tensions between human drivers and self-driving technology, as protesters demanded stricter regulations to level the playing field.
With about two dozen participants waving signs and chanting for safer streets, the event underscored broader debates about accountability in the era of AI-driven transportation. As CPUC officials convened inside to discuss potential new rules for autonomous vehicles, Waymo cars glided past the crowd, symbolizing the robots' inescapable presence in the city.
This protest comes at a pivotal time for California's autonomous vehicle industry. Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. (Google's parent company), has been expanding rapidly since receiving full commercial approval from CPUC in August 2023 to operate 24/7 paid rides in San Francisco.
By 2025, the company reported logging over 7 million autonomous miles in the city, with plans to scale further. However, this growth has not been without controversy, fueling calls for enhanced oversight from groups like the California Gig Workers Union, which advocates for removing robotaxis from roads until safety issues are resolved.
The Core Grievances: Unequal Rules and Safety Risks
At the heart of the protest was the accusation of an "unfair playing field." Human drivers like Joseph Augusto, who works for both Uber and Lyft, argued that traditional ride-hail operators face rigorous licensing, background checks, and immediate fines for violations, while autonomous vehicles often evade similar scrutiny. "I personally am not against technology; what I am against is unfair treatment," Augusto told reporters, emphasizing how companies like Waymo "don't seem to be held to the same standards as us drivers."
A striking example cited by protesters was a September 2025 incident where a Waymo vehicle executed an illegal U-turn in San Bruno, directly in front of a prohibiting sign. Local police were unable to issue a citation because no human was behind the wheel, highlighting a regulatory gap in holding driverless cars accountable.
This isn't isolated; in 2024, Waymo faced backlash after one of its vehicles collided with a cyclist in San Francisco, prompting a software recall affecting its entire fleet. More recently, reports emerged of Waymo cars fatally striking pets, including a neighborhood cat named Kit Kat in October 2025, and contributing to the deaths of dogs in separate incidents.
Protesters also pointed to a major disruption in December 2025, when a widespread power outage caused dozens of Waymo vehicles to stall at intersections, creating chaos as pedestrians navigated around them. Augusto recounted witnessing the scene: "There were a lot of Waymos around. Just randomly all over the city and there’s no plan." The outage forced Waymo to temporarily halt operations, raising questions about the technology's resilience in real-world emergencies.
According to state data, Waymo reported over 100 incidents in California in 2025 alone, ranging from minor traffic violations to more serious collisions, though the company maintains its safety record surpasses human drivers by a significant margin — claiming 81% fewer injury-causing crashes per million miles.
Regulatory Backdrop and Industry Responses
The timing of the protest aligned with CPUC's ongoing deliberations on refining policies for autonomous vehicles. The commission, which oversees ride-hailing services, has been under pressure to expand regulations amid the industry's growth.
In 2023, CPUC's decision to greenlight Waymo and Cruise (a GM subsidiary) for full commercial operations sparked similar protests, including drivers blocking San Francisco International Airport to voice job displacement fears. Today, with over 500 robotaxis operating in the city, concerns have shifted toward safety and equity.
CPUC declined to comment on the demonstration, focusing instead on its internal meeting. Waymo, in a statement, reiterated its commitment: "We are on a mission to be the world’s most trusted driver, making it safe, more accessible and more sustainable for riders to get around." The company has invested heavily in safety, including partnerships with local authorities and voluntary reporting of incidents to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Despite this, critics argue that self-reported data lacks transparency, and incidents like the 2024 cyclist collision — where Waymo initially downplayed severity — erode public trust.
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Broader Implications for Urban Mobility
This protest reflects a national trend as autonomous vehicles expand beyond California. Waymo operates in Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Austin, with over 100,000 paid rides weekly across its markets. However, San Francisco's dense urban environment has amplified challenges, from navigating construction zones to handling unpredictable pedestrian behavior.
A 2025 study by the University of California, Berkeley, found that robotaxis cause 20% more traffic congestion in peak hours compared to human-driven vehicles, exacerbating frustrations for gig workers already grappling with declining earnings — Uber drivers in California saw a 15% pay drop in 2025 due to increased competition.
The California Gig Workers Union, backing the protesters, has called for a moratorium on new robotaxi deployments until comprehensive safety audits are conducted. Similar sentiments echo in other cities; in Austin, residents petitioned against Waymo's expansion in late 2025 after reports of vehicles blocking emergency responders. As CPUC weighs new measures —potentially including mandatory human oversight in certain scenarios or enhanced data sharing — the outcome could set precedents for federal regulations under NHTSA.
As San Francisco continues to serve as a testing ground for the future of mobility, this clash between innovation and livelihoods raises critical questions: Can technology and human workers coexist equitably? For now, with robotaxis becoming a fixture on city streets, the drivers' call for fairness resonates louder than ever.
