Minneapolis Council Passes Human-Operator Mandate for Self-Driving Cars After Council Member Cites Cat Deaths

The Minneapolis City Council narrowly passed an ordinance Thursday that would require a human operator and special license for all autonomous vehicles operating in the city, a measure that gained national attention after council member Jason Chavez framed part of his argument around harm to cats.

“I will say cats have been killed and cats have been killed by these autonomous vehicles,” Chavez told fellow council members. “I have a cat. I don’t want my cat getting killed because of these autonomous vehicles.”

“So, to those cat lovers out there, just know that these Waymo vehicles, these autonomous vehicles have killed cats and that’s unfair,” he continued. “I just watched a video sitting here from the dais, and it was really hard to watch. Literally, cats being murdered by these vehicles.”

Mayor Jacob Frey has said he intends to veto the ordinance, telling Minnesota outlets it “doesn’t make sense” and that the city will keep pursuing “innovative technology,” including new transportation options. Frey said he acknowledges safety concerns but does not support what he called a “backdoor ban” of autonomous vehicles.

Waymo’s driverless taxis, identifiable by rooftop sensors and the absence of a driver, have become increasingly common on city streets. Supporters of the ordinance argue that mandating a human operator would effectively eliminate autonomous taxi service in Minneapolis and push fares higher for riders who use ride-hailing apps. Opponents of the technology counter that it raises real safety questions and threatens driving jobs.

Backlash Online

Chavez’s remarks about cats drew swift ridicule on social media, with critics arguing the council was focused on the wrong priorities.

“The Minneapolis City Council wants to require a human in driverless vehicles because cats are being ‘murdered’ by them. This guy’s salary is $110,000/year, by the way,” Townhall columnist Dustin Grage wrote on X.

Grage followed up with additional posts, including “They’re calling it the cat genocide” and “Hide your cats. The Waymos are coming.”

“LOL! MINNEAPOLIS HAS FOUND ITS REAL CRISIS, AND IT’S ROBOT CARS ‘MURDERING’ CATS,” conservative commentator Gunther Eagleman posted.

Eagleman argued the council’s attention was misplaced given the city’s other problems, writing: “A council member in a city that let rioters burn down a police precinct and watched a $250 million fraud scheme happen under its nose now wants a human in every driverless car to protect the cats. He’s pulling down $110,000 a year of taxpayer money to say this with a straight face. Minneapolis doesn’t have a driverless car problem. It has a leadership problem.”

Fox News Digital columnist David Marcus posted, “They’re driving over the cats, they’re driving over the dogs!” Three Rivers Park Commissioner Jennifer DeJournett questioned Chavez’s salary against the city’s affordability problems, writing, “Why is a city council member making 110,000 when families and seniors are getting priced out of their homes in Minneapolis and taxes are sky rocking????? That’s absurd – where is the equality in that???”

Not every reaction dismissed the underlying concern about animal safety. Journalist Zaid Jilani wrote, “Fwiw I’ve been in a self-driving Tesla that stopped for cats to cross the road and Waymo is a lot more advanced.” Dealer Teamwork CEO and co-founder Sean Stapleton posted, “My FSD Tesla avoids animals on the road. He is full of it.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Chavez for comment.