About this episode
<p>In blue cities across the country, unions and politicians want to ban self-driving cars. In this episode from the <i>Search Engine</i> podcast, PJ Vogt visits Boston to sort the facts from the propaganda. (Part two of a <a href="https://freakonomics.com/is-this-the-end-of-driving/" rel="noopener noreferrer">two-part series</a>.)</p> <p> </p> <ul> <li><strong>SOURCES:</strong> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-richardson-4527666/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Carl Richardson</a>, ADA coordinator for the Massachusetts State House, president of the Guide Dog Users of Massachusetts.</li> <li><a href="https://www.boston.gov/departments/city-council/gabriela-coletta-zapata" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gabriela Coletta Zapata</a>, Boston City councilor from District 1.</li> <li><a href="https://www.boston.gov/departments/city-council/julia-mejia" rel="noopener noreferrer">Julia Mejia</a>, Boston City councilor at-large.</li> <li><a href="https://www.understandingai.org/about" rel="noopener noreferrer">Timothy B. Lee</a>, author of <i>Understanding AI </i>newsletter.</li> </ul></li> </ul> <p> </p> <ul> <li><strong>RESOURCES:</strong> <ul> <li>"<a href="https://www.wired.com/story/waymo-hits-a-rough-patch-in-washington-dc/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Waymo Hits a Rough Patch in Washington, DC</a>," by Aarian Marshall <i>(WIRED,</i> 2026).</li> <li>"<a href="https://www.theverge.com/transportation/881354/new-york-drops-plan-to-legalize-robotaxis-waymo" rel="noopener noreferrer">New York drops plan to legalize robotaxis in setback for Waymo</a>," by Andrew J. Hawkins <i>(The Verge,</i> 2026).</li> <li>"<a href="https://www.understandingai.org/p/waymos-next-five-cities-are-all-in" rel="noopener noreferrer">Waymo’s next five cities are all in red states</a>," by Timothy B. Lee and Kai Williams <i>(Understanding AI,</i> 2025).</li> <li>"<a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/09/24/opinion/waymo-boston-disabilities-independence/" rel="noopener noreferrer">What Waymo could mean for Bostonians with disabilities: independence at their fingertips</a>," by Carl Richardson <i>(Boston Globe,</i> 2025).</li> <li>"<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPe8clxS8wk" rel="noopener noreferrer">Planning, Development and Transportation on July 24, 2025</a>," <i>(Boston City Council,</i> 2025).</li> <li>"<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/06/technology/uber-lyft-drivers-unionize-massachusetts.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ride-Hailing Drivers in Massachusetts Win Right to Unionize</a>," by Eli Tan <i>(The New York Times,</i> 2024).</li> <li>"<a href="https://jacobin.com/2024/08/east-coast-longshoremen-strike-automation" rel="noopener noreferrer">East Coast Longshore Workers May Soon Strike</a>," by Joe Demanuelle-Hall <i>(Jacobin,</i> 2024).</li> </ul></li> </ul> <p> </p> <ul> <li><strong>EXTRAS:</strong> <ul> <li>"<a href="https://freakonomics.com/podcast/the-fascinatingly-mundane-secrets-of-the-worlds-most-exclusive-nightclub/" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Fascinatingly Mundane Secrets of the World’s Most Exclusive Nightclub</a>," by <i>Freakonomics Radio </i>(2024).</li> <li><a href="https://www.searchengine.show/" rel="noopener noreferrer"><i>Search Engine</i></a>, podcast by PJ Vogt.</li> </ul></li> </ul><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>