The noisy self-driving EVs of Santa Monica

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Dec 02, 2025 View in browser   By David Ferris Presented by  In an aerial view, Waymo cars are seen parked at a Waymo facility in San Francisco. | Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Electric vehicles are usually silent, but not the Waymos of Santa Monica, California. The nation’s leading robotaxi company is in a standoff with that city after residents complained of nonstop beeping as the vehicles moved about the company’s charging site. “It’s one of the most annoying noises I can think of,” a neighbor named Brian May told the TV station KTLA 5. On Nov. 18, the city council unanimously approved a resolution to bar the site from operation between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. — a measure that would kneecap Waymo in the Los Angeles metro area, one of its leading markets. The company has refused, and it’s unclear whether the city has the grounds to force the closure. The situation is a reminder that the transition to electric and autonomous vehicles is full of unexpected challenges. Solutions to one problem can end up causing another. In this case, the issue is the noise that Waymo’s electric Jaguars make as they back out of charging stalls. To comply with federal safety regulations, the Waymos emit beeps to alert nearby pedestrians. But put dozens of those vehicles together in the same lot, and they become a “mini-Las Vegas” — at least according to neighbors who filed complaints with the city. Chief Deputy City Attorney Romy Ganschow wrote in a letter obtained by the Santa Monica Daily Press that the city has received more than 40 complaints from at least 15 people about whirring, humming, clunking and ticking — along with dozens of consecutive beeps at all hours of the night. Ganschow gave Waymo until last week to cease overnight operations at the site. “If you fail to do so, the City will take all necessary steps to abate the nuisance, without further notice, including filing a civil action for injunction, damages, and costs," he wrote. However, that deadline has passed, and the graveyard shift is still running. Voltera Power, a company that builds charging hubs and operates the Waymo site, said it has all the required permits. Jonathan Colbert, a Voltera vice president, said in a statement to Power Switch that the company “engaged in an extensive permitting process, during which the City approved construction and issued permits expressly authorizing 24/7 operations.” Santa Monica officials did not respond to repeated requests for comment. To abate the noise, Waymo said in a statement that it has reduced the beeping volume — with consent from the federal Department of Transportation — and is considering plants, awnings and other barriers that could mitigate the cars’ lights and sounds. The Santa Monica site is in a more residential area than other Waymo charging hubs. A resolution there might make future robotaxi charging depots into better neighbors, Colbert said. “We believe that a successful outcome can help create a playbook for other cities across the country as charging infrastructure deployment scales up,” he said.   It's Tuesday — thank you for tuning in to POLITICO's Power Switch. I'm your host, David Ferris. Power Switch is brought to you by the journalists behind E&E News and POLITICO Energy. Send your tips, comments, questions to dferris@eenews.net.   A message from TC Energy: Building a stronger America from the inside out—that's TC Energy's focus today and tomorrow. In the heart of the country, new factories are opening, data centers are coming online and communities are growing. Our safe, reliable North American natural gas and power infrastructure connects and strengthens industries, powers local economies and supports proud communities. Learn how we're building a stronger America from the inside out.   Listen to today’s POLITICO Energy podcast Today in POLITICO Energy’s podcast: Alex Guillén breaks down how business groups and industries are reacting to the Trump administration's rollback of climate regulations. Power Centers Gary Hairston, president of the Fayette County Black Lung Association and the National Black Lung Association, wipes tears from his eyes during a protest outside the Department of Labor in Washington on Oct. 14. | Carolyn Kaster/AP Black lung protections at risk The Trump administration is reconsidering black lung protections as U.S. coal miners contract the deadly disease at younger ages, writes Hannah Northey. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer plans to “reconsider and seek comments” on parts of a Biden-era silica rule that mining companies and trade groups are fighting in court, according to an attorney for the Labor Department. The long-awaited rule would reduce exposure limits for miners to airborne silica — crystals that can reach deep into the lungs when inhaled — to 50 micrograms. As many as 1 in 5 miners contract the disease in areas like coal-rich Appalachia that have seen decades of heavy extraction, according to data from the Labor Department. EU all in on climate, officials say The European Union will "think twice" before backing weak climate deals in the future, according to Poland's negotiator in last month's COP, writes Louise Guillot. Katarzyna Wrona said the EU supported the final deal at the U.N. climate summit "for the sake of multilateralism." “But I’m not sure … that the EU will be ready to take [this position] in the future," Wrona warned today at POLITICO's Sustainable Future Summit in Brussels. "Because something has changed, and we will surely think twice before we evaluate a deal that does not really bring much in terms of following up on the commitments that were undertaken." The EU struggled to find allies for more ambitious action at the climate talks in Brazil, which the U.S. skipped entirely. EU climate chief Wopke Hoekstra said at POLITICO's summit that reports of the death of Europe's green agenda have been greatly exaggerated, writes Karl Mathiesen. The EU's new climate goal for 2040, agreed to by ministers last month, "is actually an acceleration, rather than a downgrade, of what we are having today," Hoekstra said. Energy efficiency programs get the ax as demand rises The Trump administration's dismantling of federal efficiency programs is eliminating some solutions to rising electricity demand, Brian Dabbs writes. The Department of Energy has eliminated its efficiency office and is rolling back standards for consumer and industrial appliances. This comes as the administration scrambles to ensure there's enough power for a wave of data centers to power artificial intelligence. “Energy intensive industries are starting to increase energy demand in this country. Energy prices are increasing, and we’re also at a point where new supply is constrained,” said Mark Kresowik, senior policy director at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. “If the Trump administration succeeds in rolling back appliance standards and building codes and all the things it’s trying to do, costs are going to go up.”   A message from TC Energy:   In Other News China sends its gas guzzlers abroad: China has flooded international markets with gasoline-powered vehicles as their sales slipped domestically, creating greater competition with U.S. and European automakers in markets like South Africa and Poland. Europe's climate action cost: Europe's success at slashing its climate emissions has come at a cost, with Germany having the developed world's highest domestic electricity prices and the U.K. having the most expensive industrial electricity. Subscriber Zone A showcase of some of our best subscriber content. Chris Wright, secretary of the Department of Energy, speaks at the Atlantic Council conference, in Athens, Greece, on Nov. 7. | Petros Giannakouris/AP Energy Secretary Chris Wright asserts the data center surge widely blamed for raising electricity prices will actually lower Americans’ utility bills. DOE has selected the Tennessee Valley Authority and Holtec to split $800 million in funding for the deployment of small modular nuclear reactors in the United States. Rising electricity bills are among the messages Democrats are deploying in a bid to flip a red congressional seat in today's Tennessee special election. A lawsuit two Washington state residents filed against several oil majors for contributing to climate change is the first such suit to cite rising insurance costs. That's it for today, folks! Thanks for reading.   A message from TC Energy: North America is home to one of the most integrated energy systems across the globe. In the U.S., that system fuels growth and prosperity across the country. TC Energy is proud to play our part. 25% of America's natural gas demand flows through our network, across nearly 36 states and 31,000 miles of pipeline. As new factories and technology centers emerge across the American landscape, our energy infrastructure connects more people in more places to new opportunities. Learn how we're building a stronger America from the inside out.     Follow us on X Arianna Skibell @ariannaskibell   Follow us

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