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After noise complaints, judge orders Waymo to stop overnight charging in Santa Monica
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.
In short
- Judge restricts Waymo’s overnight charging in Santa Monica.
- Residents cited persistent vehicle noise and disruption.
- Wider lawsuit and Waymo countersuit remain ongoing.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Autonomous vehicles and electric vehicle charging represent essential infrastructure for urban transportation's future. Overnight charging may be operationally necessary and environmentally optimal, and technical modifications to address specific noise and light concerns could resolve residents' complaints without requiring wholesale operational cessation. Disproportionate regulations risk establishing precedent that stifles critical innovation.
The case against
Residents in this residential neighbourhood have endured persistent noise, light and traffic disruption for over a year, with particular concern given proximity to a school. Local authorities have legitimate responsibility to protect neighbourhood quality of life and prevent nuisance, particularly during nighttime hours when such impacts most severely affect sleep and wellbeing. The judge's preliminary injunction reflects sufficient evidence of genuine, sustained harm warranting immediate relief.
Explained simply
Waymo is a company that operates self-driving taxi services, using vehicles that navigate without a human driver. To keep those vehicles available, it uses sites where they can park and recharge.
The Santa Monica sites are on Broadway near homes, flats and a private school. The dispute centres on how the facilities affect people living and working nearby, including concerns about noise, lights and traffic.
The case involves the balance between running a transport service and the impact of its facilities on neighbouring areas. Santa Monica and Waymo have both taken legal action, and the wider dispute is continuing in court.