A judge has ordered Waymo to stop operating two overnight charging sites in Santa Monica after residents and the city complained that autonomous vehicles were causing persistent noise, light pollution and traffic disruption. The preliminary injunction treats the facilities as a potential public nuisance, giving nearby residents immediate relief while the wider legal dispute continues.

Waymo may not operate the Broadway charging lots at 12th and Euclid Streets between 11 pm and 6 am. The company began using the sites in January 2025; Santa Monica sued in November 2025 after complaints lasting more than a year, while Waymo has countersued. The sites are near homes, apartment buildings and a private school, and the next hearing is scheduled for October 2026.