Cities want to put the boot on robotaxis
The interesting part is how fast the pendulum swings. Early state laws basically waved robotaxis through, treating them as a win for innovation. Now cities are discovering they have almost no tools to push back, so they're reaching for blunt instruments like operating bans and slow-speed caps. That's a predictable outcome when you let one level of government set the rules and another level deal with the consequences.
I think the real story here is about accountability. When a robotaxi blocks a fire truck or confuses a school crossing, the state that licensed it isn't the one fielding the complaints. The city is. And cities have learned that waiting for perfect federal guidance means waiting forever.
Where I land: some friction is healthy. The early permissiveness was always going to collide with messy local reality. But I'd want to know whether these restrictions are being designed with data or just as political theater. A knee-jerk boot on every robotaxi is as unhelpful as the original hands-off approach.