Minneapolis council member mocked for saying Waymo is killing cats | Fox News, tell me about this news today

During debates over autonomous vehicles in Minneapolis, City Council Member Jason Chavez drew national attention and online mockery for his remarks arguing against Waymo robotaxis by asserting that driverless cars “kill cats” and that it is wrong.

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Here is what the controversy is about:

• The Local Debate: The Minneapolis City Council has been considering strict regulations on commercial autonomous vehicles (such as Waymo), including an ordinance that would mandate a human safety driver inside the vehicle. Waymo and industry proponents argued this requirement is essentially a de facto ban on driverless ride-hailing.

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• The Cat Comment: While expressing his opposition to autonomous vehicles during council discussions, Council Member Chavez brought up animal safety, specifically highlighting that driverless vehicles kill cats. While there have been high-profile incidents elsewheresuch as a widely publicized case in San Francisco where a Waymo struck and killed a neighborhood cat named KitKatcritics and commentators seized on the comment as an exaggerated, bizarre, or unserious rationale for effectively banning robotaxis from the city.

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• Political Fallout: The council moved to approve the restrictive rules, but Mayor Jacob Frey quickly stepped in to veto the measure, arguing that requiring human drivers in fully autonomous cars “doesn’t make sense” and would stall technological progress and safety innovation. Chavez’s soundbite quickly spread across social media and conservative media outlets like Fox News and its local affiliate Fox 9, where it became a frequent target of ridicule.

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