Boston committee opens review of autonomous vehicle operations amid labor, safety and accessibility concerns

Boston City Council Committee on Planning, Development, and Transportation Chair Sharon Durkin opened a July 24 hearing to evaluate proposed autonomous vehicle operations in Boston, saying the city must “ensure that any new technology that operates protects all road users and supports our Vision Zero goals.”

The meeting brought the mayoral administration, Waymo representatives, labor leaders and dozens of drivers and disability advocates into the council chamber for more than two hours of testimony and questions. Committee members stressed public safety, labor impacts and data sharing as central concerns while Waymo highlighted its safety record and testing experience.

Why this matters: Councilors and witnesses said Boston’s narrow, irregular street network and high pedestrian and cyclist activity make the city different from many places where autonomous vehicles (AVs) have operated, and they warned of potential consequences for traffic, first responders, workers and transit ridership.

Administration concerns and goals

The city’s chief of streets (City of Boston) told the committee the administration wants to be “thoughtful” and “not reactive” to new transportation technologies. The chief noted that while some research suggests AVs can reduce crash rates, those findings generally come from places with less complex street networks and that other operational behaviors — blocking bus or bike lanes, double-parking for pickups, and adding empty vehicle miles — can harm safety and congestion.

The administration said it would demand robust data sharing from any operator and stressed concern about AVs’ interaction with first…