Honking, flashing lights and back-up beeps: These L.A. residents are at war with robotaxis

In Santa Monica, a coastal California town just north of Los Angeles, some residents are fed up with the robotaxi company Waymo. Critics of the robotaxis accuse the city of allowing Alphabet, Waymo and Google’s parent company, to deploy a fleet without much public input.

Also frustrating to many residents are the charging stations, which were installed without community consultation and have led to complaints of noise pollution from both the vehicles and the crews that service them at night.

When residents have sought answers about who is responsible for issuing permits to Waymo, they’ve often encountered a bureaucratic runaround. City officials told a CNN reporter investigating the jurisdictional issues to contact the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in Sacramento. However, both state agencies claimed that the regulation and oversight of robotaxis fell outside their purview and redirected the reporter back to the company and local authorities.

Residents take action against Waymo

Back in March, a resident living near the Euclid & Broadway Waymo station created a Change.org petition that has since garnered over 200 signatures. Christopher Potter, the resident behind the petition, explained that the addition of the robotaxi station had “turned [a] once peaceful neighborhood into a hub for noise pollution.”

“The constant “beep-beep-beep” sound as the autonomous vehicles back out of their spaces (in theirownlots) is an incessant disturbance that hinders both our tranquillity during the day and our peace during the night," argued the petitioner.

What is stacking?

Some residents have taken things a step further, forming an undercover group that operates at night to disorient the Waymos and reduce the noise.

“Stacking” is a new trend that involves covering a robotaxi’s sensors with tape to immobilize the vehicles in a specific area. Other stackers don’t always interfere with the sensors; instead, they place obstacles, such as traffic cones, their own vehicles, or their bodies, in the way of the robotaxis to prevent them from entering the charging station. When the robotaxis begin to line up, it is referred to as a stack. This way, they are not able to return to their charging station, where neighbors say the beeping never stops.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.