Why New York must pump the brakes on autonomous vehicles

Published in the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle on March 12, 2026

In mid-February, Gov. Kathy Hochul withdrew her proposal to expand the use of autonomous vehicles beyond New York City, due to public concerns about safety, jobs and other impacts that need to be addressed. But make no mistake, proponents are still pushing to permanently authorize these driverless vehicles statewide, replacing taxi cabs and other livery drivers, or for-hire operators, with so-called "robotaxis," while disregarding the working people whose jobs hang in the balance.

Tens of thousands of New Yorkers proudly call driving their career, whether behind the wheel of a truck, bus, delivery van, taxi, Uber or other form of transit. These are real people earning real livings, supporting families, contributing to our economy and sharing a common goal: making our roads safer.

Yet their careers are being treated as collateral damage in a race toward automation. Why? Because it's cheaper.

Unions support technology - but not job elimination

Let me be clear: unions are not opposed to enhanced technology, innovation or automation. Drivers already rely on advanced logistics systems and sophisticated equipment every day. We welcome technology that improves safety, enhances working conditions and helps workers perform their jobs more effectively.

But there is a wide gap between technology that supports workers and technology designed to eliminate them.

For-hire autonomous vehicles pose a direct threat not only to jobs but to economic stability across our state. Advances in artificial intelligence are accelerating at a dizzying pace. That does not mean we abandon common sense or disregard the working people whose futures are on the line.

Before any expansion moves forward, every elected official in the state should have to answer one simple question: "Are you comfortable putting every one of these drivers on the unemployment line?" Because to state the obvious (it's in the heading, "DRIVERLESS vehicles"), you cannot support autonomous vehicles without acknowledging that you are knowingly and willfully putting them out of work. These displaced workers will no longer be able to support themselves and their families financially. Period. End of story.

The impact on those families would be devastating. And the residual negative impact on our economy, in terms of lost income tax revenue, would be significant.

Are driverless cars safer? We do not believe so

Proponents argue that autonomous vehicles are safer. We disagree.

Consider just some of the risks involved in answering these fundamental questions. How will these vehicles respond to emergencies? Severe weather? Power outages? Unexpected road hazards? Environmental events that disrupt traffic patterns?

We must not underestimate the human driver's real-time judgment. Professional drivers make split-second decisions every day that prevent devastating consequences. They adapt instantly. They have delivered babies in transit. They have helped passengers in distress. They serve as eyes and ears on the road, reporting crimes and protecting vulnerable riders.

I will put a trained, experienced human driver up against a glitch-susceptible software system any day.

And we are not alone in our concerns. A recent study by AAA found that most drivers are afraid of autonomous vehicles and would rather see enhanced safety systems that assist, not replace, human operators. We agree.

We support a future where enhanced technology benefits the public rather than harms it. We support innovations that improve the work our drivers perform, not innovations that eliminate their careers.

So yes, let's pump the brakes on autonomous vehicles.

Let's take the time to assess the real impact on working people. And let's make sure that in the rush toward automation, we do not leave hundreds of thousands of working families behind.