SEATTLE — Local rideshare drivers rallied against the self-driving car company Waymo on Wednesday as the company plans its rollout in the region.
Members of the Washington Drivers Union called the driverless cars unsafe and said they will destroy local jobs.
The protest took place in Belltown outside an event venue where representatives of Waymo were set to meet with local stakeholders to discuss the app’s launch in the Puget Sound.
Waymo cars have been spotted around the metro for weeks but are not yet available for the public’s use.
KIRO 7 spotted around a dozen of the cars, equipped with sensors and computers, staged near the Northgate light rail station.
According to the company, the cars are currently being driven by human beings in order to train them on the area’s roads.
Many of the region’s rideshare drivers hope the planned rollout does not move forward.
“We have a lot of concerns on Waymo,” Peter Kuel, president of the Drivers Union, said. “Number one is the job issue.”
Kuel told KIRO 7 there are around 30,000 rideshare drivers in Washington. Kuel, like many of them, had to adapt when rideshare apps overtook traditional taxis.
He’s not sure the shift to driverless cars is one he and his members will make it through.
“We need our people to have food for their families,” Kuel said. “Waymo is not going to provide food for the families whose jobs are taken away.”
Another concern among the union members was safety; last month, a Waymo was spotted driving around a school bus with its stop sign extended in Atlanta.
First responders told KIRO 7 they are not sure the driverless cars will react the same way as a human being during an emergency.
“My biggest concern is that because they are not as good as a human driver, they can impact our ability to respond to an emergency,” Salvador Cossio, an EMT who drives ambulances, said. “And in those emergencies, seconds can matter.”
Waymo released the following statement to KIRO 7:
“Waymo has a proven track record of making transportation safer, more accessible, and more sustainable in the cities we operate. We prioritize learning, engagement and collaboration with local communities and stakeholders to understand their needs and how to serve them best so we can bring the same safe and magical ride-hailing experience that many already enjoy, to Seattle.”
The company also provided data on its safety measures.
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