technology
D.C. Council Hears Testimony on Autonomous-Vehicle Bill That Would Let Waymo Operate First
Uber sent correspondence to the D.C. Council opposing a proposed bill that would allow autonomous vehicles to operate in Washington, D.C. The company argues the measure would displace human drivers and give Waymo a de facto monopoly.
Jul 19, 12:05 PM·1m read1 source
winnipegfreepress.comAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
Uber has pressed the D.C. Council for a regulatory framework that would require autonomous ride-hailing services to operate alongside human drivers on the same network. A hearing on Monday drew testimony from representatives of Lyft, Tesla, Uber, Waymo, disability rights advocates, local business groups, highway safety organizations, government officials, labor unions, and think tanks.
TechCrunch reported that Waymo is among the few companies that generally supports the bill, while much of the rest of the industry does not. Tesla senior policy adviser India Herdman objected to the 180-day, 250,000-mile mandatory testing requirement, the $1 million application fee, the $5 million permit fee, and the $0.15-per-mile tax.
Tesla and other companies argued that testing miles accumulated in other jurisdictions should count toward the D.C. mileage threshold.
Waymo has been testing its AVs with human safety operators in Washington, D.C. and has already surpassed the 180-day and 250,000-mile requirements. If the bill passed as written, Waymo would enter the market with at least a six-month head start.
