On Wednesday, May 6, Sen. Torrey Westrom (R-Alexandria) took part in a self-driving autonomous vehicle showcase and had the opportunity to take his first-ever “drive” in a Waymo. Westrom released the following statement on his experience:

“This week, I had the opportunity to take my first ride in a self-driving autonomous vehicle and experience the future of transportation and mobility firsthand. I was able to ‘drive’ while the vehicle took off on its own around the Minnesota State Capitol and residential streets in St. Paul.

“After more than 15 years of testing, it was exciting to finally experience this technology in action. For all practical purposes, I was able to leave the driving to the vehicle as it navigated the Capitol area and nearby neighborhoods.

“The ride was smooth, safe, and very uneventful, which is exactly what you want. It handled stop signs, traffic lights, and turns with precision and moved through intersections as smoothly as glass.

“As we continue working to bring this technology to Minnesota, we should focus on the right framework, laws, and safety guidelines to responsibly advance autonomous vehicles, as is already happening in several other states. I invite you to let me know what you think about this intriguing technology.”

This session, Westrom is a co-author of bipartisan legislation, Senate File 4010, which would establish a statewide regulatory framework for autonomous vehicle operations in Minnesota. It also sets state law requirements for operations, insurance, safety standards, and oversight of autonomous driving systems.

SF 4010 would also address on-demand autonomous vehicle networks, including commercial robotaxi services such as those operated by Waymo. Autonomous vehicle testing has been permitted in the United States since the early 2010s, beginning with Nevada’s authorization of public-road testing in 2011. State regulatory frameworks have since evolved to support broader deployment.

As of early 2026, fully driverless robotaxi services operate in limited areas of select cities in California, Arizona, Texas, and Georgia, with additional pilot programs in other states. Waymo has reported that within its service areas, its vehicles have experienced approximately 80–90% fewer serious injuries or crashes compared with human-driven baseline rates, based on published safety data.