Robotaxi Expansion Fuels State and Federal Rule Fights

The rapid expansion of robotaxi services across the United States is intensifying disputes over how the technology should be regulated, according to The Verge.

In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul withdrew a proposal earlier this year that would have permitted driverless robotaxis outside New York City after opposition from taxi drivers, unions and state lawmakers, the outlet reported. Commercial driverless service remains illegal in the state.

In Washington, D.C., labor unions are opposing legislation that would legalize commercial robotaxis, with lawmakers considering a 200-vehicle cap and a 15-cent-per-mile fee to fund transit upgrades and assist displaced workers, per The Verge. A City Council hearing on the measure ran for 10 hours in July.

In San Francisco, Mayor Daniel Lurie, previously a supporter of robotaxis, is now calling for stricter regulation after Waymo vehicles repeatedly disrupted traffic during emergencies and major events, The Verge reported. As of July, California police can formally cite autonomous-vehicle manufacturers for traffic violations by their driverless cars.

At the federal level, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration under the Trump administration has warned autonomous-vehicle companies that vehicles unable to safely interact with police, firefighters and other first responders present a public danger, according to the report. Congress has not passed comprehensive robotaxi legislation.

Texas began enforcing new permitting requirements for commercial AV operators this year, while Florida cities have said state preemption laws limit their ability to address local problems, The Verge reported.

Waymo currently operates more than 3,500 vehicles across 11 U.S. cities and provides over 500,000 paid rides weekly, according to the outlet. Zoox has launched paid rides in Las Vegas and is testing in 10 cities, while Tesla is expanding its unsupervised robotaxi fleet ahead of a planned Cybercab launch.

Based on reporting by www.theverge.com.