Waymo, the autonomous vehicle company that’s been operating robotaxis across the Bay Area and beyond, is facing serious accusations of violating California’s regulations. According to a complaint filed this week by the California Gig Workers Union, Waymo has been transporting unaccompanied minors in cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, something that’s explicitly prohibited by state law.

Here’s the deal: back in 2020, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) set clear rules for autonomous vehicle cab services operating in the state. One of those rules is pretty straightforward: no one under 18 is allowed to travel alone in these vehicles, period. It doesn’t matter who booked the ride or what the circumstances are.

The California Gig Workers Union, which represents drivers working for ride-hailing services like Lyft and Uber, filed the complaint with the CPUC on Tuesday. The union is taking this seriously because, well, there’s a legitimate concern here. If something goes wrong during a ride, there’s literally no adult present to help a kid in distress. No one to comfort them, no one to assess the situation, and no one to make sure they’re actually safe.

Interestingly, Waymo apparently tried to get the CPUC to change this rule. The company requested that the restrictions on unaccompanied minors be relaxed, but regulators shot that request down. Now, the union is alleging that Waymo is operating in violation of these conditions anyway.

Hector Castellanos, an Uber and Lyft driver based in Antioch, spoke about the issue in the union’s statement. “Letting minors ride alone in driverless vehicles is a real concern”, he said. “If something goes wrong, there’s no one there to protect them, comfort them, or make sure they’re safe. It’s against the state’s rules for a good reason”. He’s pointing out something obvious but important: these rules exist to protect kids, not to inconvenience tech companies.

The California Gig Workers Union isn’t just raising concerns, they’re asking for real consequences. They want the CPUC to suspend Waymo’s permit to operate autonomous vehicle cab services in California and hit the company with financial penalties for the alleged violations.

As of now, Waymo hasn’t publicly responded to the complaint. The company hasn’t returned requests for comment, so we don’t know if they’re planning to defend their actions or what their side of the story might be.

This situation highlights an ongoing tension in California: how do we balance innovation and convenience with safety and regulation? Tech companies want to push boundaries and expand their services, but regulators and worker advocates are asking whether that expansion should come at the expense of protecting vulnerable people like kids.