Court halts overnight Waymo charging at Santa Monica Broadway lots

A couple of Santa Monica Waymo charging lots are to temporarily halt overnight services as a city-filed public nuisance claim heads to court.

A judge granted the City of Santa Monica's request for a preliminary injunction, prohibiting Waymo from operating lots at 1222 and 1310 Broadway, between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. while the case moves to trial.

"This ruling affirms what our neighbors have been telling us for more than a year, and it delivers relief while the case moves forward," Santa Monica Mayor Caroline Torosis said in a news release.

For over a year, residents living near the two lots have complained of a constant droning hum, glare and back-up beeping alerts and even car alarms.

"It looks like the Las Vegas Strip here," resident Nancy Taylor said last year, six months after the lot opened. 

In April 2025, City of Santa Monica officials said they were working with Waymo to address the complaints about the car noise, workers talking loudly and the constant vacuuming of the cars. 

In response, Waymo said they limited work hours at the site, purchased quieter equipment and planted trees to try and buffer the sound and light escaping from the lot. 

In a Tuesday news release, the city said it worked for months to resolve the impacts "including direct engagement with Waymo and its charging partner, formal requests to modify overnight operations, and an extensive mediation process"

The court found that the harm experienced by some residents outweighs any harm to Waymo while the injunction is in place, allowing the company to provide overnight ride services in Santa Monica, using vehicles charged and serviced during the day.

The city emphasized that the case has never been about whether autonomous vehicles belong in Santa Monica. 

"We remain ready to work with Waymo on solutions that let their operations and our residents' quality of life coexist," Torosis said.

The Court has scheduled a status conference for Oct. 23, to review the status of potential remediation measures at the Broadway sites and the preliminary injunction will remain in effect pending trial.