When the self-driving ride service Waymo moved two of its charging stations into a residential neighborhood in Santa Monica, no one anticipated a problem.
But as KTLA 5 reports, local residents are complaining about the incessant noise coming from the driverless robotaxis every time they back up.
“I can’t even keep my windows open, only during the day,” Michael McCoi told KTLA 5.
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It’s a safety mechanism, but it’s driving some people crazy — one reportedly blocking robotaxis from entering a charging lot with his own body.
“I want the noise stopped,” another resident, Darius Boorn told the Los Angeles Times. “I thought it was cool, and then those freaking noises started. And then I thought, ‘Oh no, this can’t be happening.’”
Residents are looking to the city and Waymo to resolve the problem.
What’s happening?
Local resident Christopher Potter launched an online petition stating that the “constant beep-beep-beep” was hindering “our tranquillity during the day and our peace during the night.”
He demands that Waymo — owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet — operate the vehicles more quietly and only during “appropriate hours.”
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Like all electric vehicles, Waymo’s cars must charge from time to time. The company has established multiple charging stations around the city for these robotaxis to stop and recharge, but the two in this residential area are causing the most uproar.
Residents claim they can no longer sleep due to the constant noises emanating from the electric vehicles as they come and go from the lot.
Sleep-deprived neighbors have complained to city council. Some have gone further by attempting to block Waymo cars from entering the lots with plastic traffic cones or — in one case — their own bodies. Waymo called for police to intervene and issue a restraining order in that situation.
The burden of regulatory compliance
Unfortunately, the solution is not as simple as turning off the noises on the electric vehicles.
Federal regulations require these vehicles to make noises when backing up, in hopes of alerting pedestrians of the vehicle’s movement.
Meanwhile, Waymo told the Santa Monica Daily Press that the city’s enforcement staff confirmed the noise levels did not violate its noise standards.
But it also told KTLA 5 that it is “in ongoing conversation with the City’s Department of Transportation” and was looking at ways to address neighbors’ concerns. Waymo said it had planted trees and other greenery to block the noise and light from their neighbors.
Additionally, the company has instructed employees to avoid loud music or using the vacuums between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m.
For now, the mitigations implemented by the company haven’t created a solution.
Of course, one option is to move the charging stations to a more suitable location away from residential areas. But that’s a costly decision for the company.
Another solution might include rearranging the flow of the parking lot to allow for the vehicles to ‘pull through’ instead of backing in and out.
If the neighborly complaints stem mostly from one residential building, perhaps Waymo could assist in soundproofing the residents’ apartments from the unavoidable noise of the electric vehicles.
Ongoing communication between the company and the residents could help both sides reach a suitable solution.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
