Illinois Drivers Alliance announced on Dec. 29 that it has launched a petition urging state legislators to block companies such as Waymo from deploying autonomous vehicles in Illinois. The group said the move is intended to protect rideshare jobs and communities, citing concerns over past safety issues with driverless technology.
The petition, which appears on Action Network and is sponsored by Illinois Drivers Alliance, was created as a direct response to Waymo’s mapping and testing activities on Chicago streets, along with pending state legislation that would permit expanded autonomous commercial vehicle operations in counties with more than one million residents. The form letter is addressed to Illinois state senators and representatives and asks them to stand with rideshare drivers and families by rejecting driverless technology, according to Action Network.
Illinois is home to tens of thousands of rideshare drivers whose livelihoods depend on providing transportation services through platforms that employ human operators. Recent efforts by companies such as Waymo to test fully driverless vehicles in Chicago have raised concerns among local drivers and small businesses that support the industry, including mechanics and service stations. According to state legislative tracking, multiple bills aimed at opening Illinois to commercial autonomous vehicles remain stalled in committee as lawmakers weigh impacts on workers and public roads, according to Capitol News Illinois.
Autonomous vehicle technology has encountered repeated operational failures, including a recent incident in Wuhan, China, where more than 100 Baidu Apollo Go robotaxis became stranded simultaneously in moving traffic, leaving passengers stuck inside the vehicles. The outage highlighted ongoing reliability challenges with driverless systems, even in controlled testing environments. According to reports, the vehicles stopped without warning, creating safety hazards for occupants and surrounding traffic, according to NBC News.
Illinois Drivers Alliance describes itself as a statewide coalition of rideshare drivers dedicated to advocating for policies that protect worker livelihoods and promote safe transportation options. The group focuses on legislative engagement to ensure that technological changes do not come at the expense of middle-class jobs or community stability. Illinois Drivers Alliance partners with drivers to amplify their voices before state lawmakers on issues affecting the industry, according to Action Network.
