Waymo doubles spending on lobbying in robotaxi battle with Uber
Summary
Waymo, a company owned by Alphabet, has doubled its spending on lobbying the U.S. government to support faster approval for fully autonomous taxi services. This increase is part of a growing competition with Uber, which prefers a gradual introduction of robotaxis alongside human drivers.Key Facts
- Waymo spent over $1 million on lobbying between April and June, more than twice the amount it spent a year earlier.
- Waymo’s lobbying expenses are now close to Uber’s and higher than other rivals like Amazon’s Zoox and Tesla.
- Waymo wants faster approval for fully driverless taxis, while Uber supports a mixed model with both robotaxis and human drivers.
- The two companies’ different approaches have worsened their partnership in cities like Austin and Atlanta.
- Both Waymo and Uber face resistance from politicians and labor groups concerned about job losses for human drivers.
- Waymo increased its lobbying spending by 93% in the first half of 2026, reaching over $2 million.
- Waymo has pushed local governments, including Washington, DC, and New York, to approve autonomous vehicle services.
- Uber advocates for hybrid networks where at least 85% of rides in pilot programs include human drivers.
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