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waymo Is suing the California city of Santa Monica after being ordered to close Two charging stations for its driverless cars Due to complaints from neighbors.
According to , the beeping noises and flashing lights from the two charging ports, which continued throughout the night, have kept some residents awake since they were installed about a year ago. Los Angeles Times,
Frustration among the residents increased to such an extent that Neighbors start blocking the way for autonomous vehicles As soon as they arrived they attacked and placed cones and other obstacles around the area to prevent them from reaching there.
This practice is called “stacking the wemos”. according to many times, As a result, charging station staff had to call the police several times.
No arrests have been made and Waymo unsuccessfully filed a temporary restraining order against a resident after repeated attempts to block the cars.
The company claims in a lawsuit, filed last week in Los Angeles and obtained by the outlet, that the activity at the two locations, which operates 24 hours a day, “does not constitute a public nuisance,” adding: “Waymo faces imminent and irreparable harm to its operations, employees and customers.”
The city knew that the Volterra charging facilities would have to be continuously operational to maintain its fleet and it still approved permits for the stations.
Last month, Santa Monica officials ordered Waymo and Volterra to cease overnight operations, claiming the problems caused by lights and noise were a public nuisance.
Representatives from Waymo and Volterra reached out to the city in late November in an attempt to compromise on the situation and reach an agreement, which reportedly included finding ways to reduce noise and light from the stations.
This included introducing a software update that would change the vehicles’ path to charging stations. But after a meeting with the city on Dec. 15, no agreement was reached, the lawsuit said.
Additionally, Waymo said it worked in consultation with regulators to address neighbors’ feedback and effectively reduce noise when complaints first began. Independent Understands that the City acknowledged in a September 9, 2025 communication that “resident complaints regarding noise have decreased.”
“We are disappointed that the city has chosen an adversarial path rather than a collaborative one,” a Waymo spokesperson said. Independent In a statement. “The City’s position has been to emphasize that any action taken or proposed by Waymo will not satisfy the complaining neighbors and therefore should be considered inadequate.”
The statement said: “The City of Santa Monica’s recent actions are inconsistent with its stated goal of attracting investment.
“At a time when the city is facing a severe financial crisis, officials are choosing to hinder appropriately permitted investment rather than foster a ‘business-ready’ environment.”
Waymo announced in June that its service would be expanded to 120 square miles in Los Angeles County, with vehicles operating in Playa del Rey, Ladera Heights, Echo Park, Silver Lake and Hollywood.
Since launching in Santa Monica, the company claims to have taken more than one million trips in the city, including 50,000 trips in November alone.
“The [charging] The site has enabled Waymo to provide city residents with a safe, sustainable and accessible transportation option, Waymo said in the statement.
Independent The City of Santa Monica has been contacted for comment.