Can Minneapolis Get Ahead of the Curb?

11 minutes ago
2 min read

Author: Bern Grush

Date Published: June 14, 2026

Minneapolis City Council Member Robin Wonsley has introduced a proposed ordinance to establish a local licensing framework for commercial autonomous vehicle operators — a direct response to Waymo’s confirmed interest in the city as a future expansion market. The proposal aims to build a full legislative policy by 2027, with research and framework development underway in the months ahead.

Wonsley’s concerns are grounded. At a June 3 community panel, she said she hoped to avoid repeating Minneapolis’s experience with Uber and Lyft — platforms that arrived fast but were regulated late. Her stated priorities centre on protecting rideshare workers and addressing outstanding questions about AV impacts on infrastructure and public transit.

It is worth noting the difficult terrain she is navigating: Minnesota’s most recent legislative session ended without passing any AV guidelines, leaving cities to act largely on their own — a situation familiar to most North American municipalities, where state preemption authority often constrains what cities can do.

The Urban Robotics Foundation applauds Council Member Wonsley’s proactive stance and urges Minneapolis to regulate beyond the important matters of jobs and safety.

The first cities to welcome commercial robotaxi fleets have seen a consistent pattern: vehicles blocking bus stops, idling in bike lanes, and impeding emergency vehicle access.

These are curb management failures — and they are preventable.

Minneapolis has an opportunity now, before robotaxis launch, to establish pick-up and drop-off regulations with real teeth, and to explore orchestration frameworks that bring order to fleet operations at the curb. Wonsley’s apparent interest in integrating AV services with public transit is exactly the right instinct.

The city should also be thinking about how to recover the municipal parking revenue that commercial robotaxis will displace when dropping off and staging.

Getting ahead of the curb — not just the car — is key.