Uber and Waymo clash over robotaxi regulations in Washington, D.C.

A proposed bill to allow autonomous vehicles to operate in Washington, D.C. has become a test case for Uber's broader robotaxi strategy. The company is lobbying for a system that would require robotaxis to operate on a ride-hailing network that also uses human drivers, putting it in direct opposition with its business partner, Waymo.

Uber argues the proposed rule would displace for-hire human drivers and hand Waymo a de facto monopoly. The company has cited concerns that robotaxis create congestion, cannot provide physical assistance to older or disabled adults, and displace drivers. "We have already seen in other jurisdictions how a flawed, first-party only regulatory approach can disrupt a city," Javi Correoso, Uber's head of U.S.

policy and federal affairs, said in May. Uber's proposed hybrid model would allow consumers to choose between a human driver and a robotaxi. "Hybrid model means that consumers should have the ability to access both," Correoso said.

"If a consumer is on the app, they should be able to choose." Alphabet-owned Waymo contends the bill will allow for the safe deployment of autonomous vehicles while supporting public transit, equitable access, and workers. The two companies will pitch their positions on Monday during a day-long hearing. The bill's passage is not imminent, but the arguments and lobbying efforts reflect a broader debate that stretches beyond Washington, D.C.

The bill would update the existing Autonomous Vehicle Act of 2012 to allow for driverless testing and commercial driverless operations within the district. Companies like Waymo and Zoox can currently test autonomous vehicles, but only with a human safety operator behind the wheel. The proposed bill would give the District Department of Transportation the authority to issue driverless testing and deployment permits to AV developers that meet certain requirements.

Such requirements include holding a minimum of $5 million in liability insurance and agreeing to report crash data. The bill would also charge robotaxi operators a $0.15 per mile tax, with revenue split between public transit and supporting education and workforce development for rideshare and taxi drivers. Uber's investment and partnership activity in the AV market has been underway for several years.

The company's push for a hybrid network is recent, first emerging in a white paper published in May. Since then, Uber has ramped up its rhetoric with policymakers. Uber's stance puts it on a collision course with Waymo, with both companies poised for a regulatory fight that appears poised to spill into other cities and states.