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WHEREAS, autonomous or "driverless" vehicles are expanding rapidly in cities across the United States, with multiple companies now operating or testing commercial robotaxi services in dense urban environments; and,
WHEREAS, Pittsburgh has served as a proving ground for autonomous vehicle technology since 2016, when Uber's Advanced Technology Group began testing on city streets, followed by Argo AI, Aurora Innovation, Aptiv, and most recently Waymo, which began manual test drives in Pittsburgh in December 2025 and secured a PennDOT certificate of compliance in early 2026; and,
WHEREAS, Pittsburgh's transportation network includes steep hillsides, narrow neighborhood streets, over 440 bridges, aging infrastructure, heavy pedestrian and cyclist traffic, and challenging winter weather conditions that present unique considerations for the safe deployment of autonomous vehicles; and,
WHEREAS, since 2021, autonomous vehicles operating nationally have been involved in reported crashes, roadway obstructions, and software-related incidents, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened multiple investigations into autonomous vehicle safety; and,
WHEREAS, federal oversight alone has not fully addressed localized concerns related to safety, labor displacement, traffic operations, emergency response coordination, and municipal planning associated with autonomous vehicle deployment; and,
WHEREAS, thousands of workers in the Pittsburgh region depend on driving-based employment, including taxi, rideshare, and delivery services, and the City of Pittsburgh has among the highest rates of taxi and ride-hailing commuting of any major U.S. city, making the local workforce particularly sensitive to changes in this sector; and,
WHEREAS, Pittsburgh is also home to a significant autonomous vehicle research and development sector, with companies including Aurora Innovation and Waymo maintaining substantial local operations, and the industry has created an esti...
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