
About this episode
In blue cities across the country, unions and politicians want to ban self-driving cars. In this episode from the Search Engine podcast, PJ Vogt visits Boston to sort the facts from the propaganda. (Part two of a two-part series.)
- SOURCES:
- Carl Richardson, ADA coordinator for the Massachusetts State House, president of the Guide Dog Users of Massachusetts.
- Gabriela Coletta Zapata, Boston City councilor from District 1.
- Julia Mejia, Boston City councilor at-large.
- Timothy B. Lee, author of Understanding AI newsletter.
- RESOURCES:
- "Waymo Hits a Rough Patch in Washington, DC," by Aarian Marshall (WIRED, 2026).
- "New York drops plan to legalize robotaxis in setback for Waymo," by Andrew J. Hawkins (The Verge, 2026).
- "Waymo’s next five cities are all in red states," by Timothy B. Lee and Kai Williams (Understanding AI, 2025).
- "What Waymo could mean for Bostonians with disabilities: independence at their fingertips," by Carl Richardson (Boston Globe, 2025).
- "Planning, Development and Transportation on July 24, 2025," (Boston City Council, 2025).
- "Ride-Hailing Drivers in Massachusetts Win Right to Unionize," by Eli Tan (The New York Times, 2024).
- "East Coast Longshore Workers May Soon Strike," by Joe Demanuelle-Hall (Jacobin, 2024).
- EXTRAS:
- "The Fascinatingly Mundane Secrets of the World’s Most Exclusive Nightclub," by Freakonomics Radio (2024).
- Search Engine, podcast by PJ Vogt.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Get every episode summarized
Each time Freakonomics Radio publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
More from Freakonomics Radio

686. Why Is It So Hard to Find an NFL Quarterback?
Freakonomics Radio

Amazon Was Supposed to Kill the Bookstore. James Daunt Had Other Plans | Better...
Freakonomics Radio

685. How to Survive the A.I. Shock
Freakonomics Radio

How to Run an Institution in an Anti-Institution Era | Better in Person
Freakonomics Radio

