Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Union members want to put a stop sign in front of a proposed driverless car pilot program. Rashonda Hudson is concerned about the people who depend on paratransit to get to doctor appointments.

“They need help getting in and out of the van,” she said of her passengers. “They need someone to walk them in and out of the appointments. They need someone to say, I’m here to pick you up. A driverless vehicle cannot do that.”

Teamsters Joint Council 25 president Tom Stiede said, “Google, Amazon, Tesla, and other big tech companies are trying to force driverless cars into our communities. They are steamrolling into cities throughout our country without concern for the workers or the residents who live there.”

The bill has not gone far yet. A House version of the bill is in the Rules Committee. The Senate version has been assigned to – but has not been called in – the Executive Committee.