Waymo Faces Backlash in Santa Monica Over Noisy Autonomous Vehicles

Waymo, Alphabet’s autonomous vehicle division, is encountering fierce resistance from Santa Monica residents due to incessant noise and traffic disruptions caused by its self-driving fleet. The company’s covert establishment of a charging hub for over 50 vehicles has left city officials and locals blindsided, fueling protests and complaints.

Residents report near-constant beeping—a mandatory safety feature for electric vehicles in California—as Waymo cars reposition around the clock. The situation escalated when frustrated neighbors began blocking vehicles to create traffic pileups, highlighting growing tensions between the tech giant and the community.

Santa Monica’s Director of Transit Services, Anuj Gupta, expressed surprise at Waymo’s unannounced operations. The lack of transparency has raised broader concerns about corporate accountability in the rollout of autonomous vehicle technology.