Uber and Waymo Are Officially Not Carpooling on Policy
What happened
TechCrunch obtained correspondence showing Uber and Waymo are now openly clashing over a proposed D.C. bill that would legalize autonomous vehicles. Uber wants robotaxis forced onto shared ride-hailing networks with human drivers, arguing the bill as written hands Waymo a monopoly. Waymo, having already logged the required 180 days and 250,000 testing miles in D.C., is one of the few industry players actually in favor of the bill.
Why this matters
This isn't just a D.C. squabble — it's a preview of how AV regulation gets written nationwide, with fees, mileage thresholds, and 'hybrid network' mandates that could either cement or kneecap robotaxi rollouts. Whoever wins this playbook fight sets precedent for every other city watching.
The slightly cynical read
Uber's 'protect the drivers' framing conveniently doubles as 'protect Uber's cut of every ride.' Waymo's sudden love of red tape makes a lot more sense once you remember it already cleared the bar everyone else is complaining about.
What to watch next
Watch whether the $1M application fee, $5M permit, and per-mile tax survive committee — and whether Tesla, Lyft, and other AV hopefuls manage to water down the mileage requirements before Waymo's head start becomes permanent.