Passengers and rideshare drivers alike are growing nervous about the future of autonomous cars, and Minneapolis is the latest city to place guardrails on the vehicles over worker and safety concerns.
Four Minneapolis city councilors, nearly one-third of the body, proposed an ordinance that would prevent self-driving cars from operating on the road by themselves, instead requiring licensed drivers to serve as a “safety monitor” for the autonomous vehicles on the road. Those human drivers, who would have “immediate access to controls for steering, braking, and acceleration,” would be paid at least minimum wage. The City Council will have a public hearing for the measure on Sept. 22, and the ordinance, if passed, would go into effect next October.
