Waymo doubles spending on lobbying in robotaxi battle with Uber

Summary

Waymo has sharply increased its lobbying spending as it seeks to persuade US regulators to clear a path for fully autonomous taxi services, intensifying its battle with rival Uber over the future of robotaxis. The Alphabet-owned company spent more than $1 mi ll i o nb e tw ee n A p r i l an dJ u n eo n l o bb y in g t h e f e d er a l g o v er nm e n t, m ore t han d o u b l e i t so u tl a y a ye a re a r l i er, a ccor d in g t o f i l in g s . T ha tp u t Wa y m o ’ ss p e n d in g c l ose t o U b er ’ s an d w e ll ah e a d o f r i v a l s in c l u d in g A ma zo n ’ s Z oo x an d T es l a . T h er i se in l o bb y in g co m es a s Wa y m o an d U b er p u s h co m p e t in gv i s i o n s f or t h e f u t u reo f r i d e - hai l in g . Wa y m o w an t s a f a s t erro u t e t o f u ll y d r i v er l essco mm erc ia l ser v i ces, w hi l e U b er i s a d v oc a t in g a s t a gg ere d ro ll o u t in w hi c h ro b o t a x i so p er a t e a l o n g s i d e h u man d r i v ers . T h e i r d i v er g in g l e g i s l a t i v es t r a t e g i es ha v eco n t r ib u t e d t o t h e i rre l a t i o n s hi p so u r in g . T h e FT re p or t e d l a s t m o n t h t ha t Wa y m o w a se x pl or in g o pt i o n s t oe x i t i t s U b er p a r t n ers hi p in A u s t inan d A tl an t a, w h ere t h er i d e - hai l in gg ro u p o p er a t es i t sser v i ces .“ T h ey ’ v e b o t h s t e pp e d u pl o bb y in g an d a re p u s hin gu p a g ain s t e a c h o t h er, w hi c hn o w a pp e a rs t o b e ha s t e nin g t h e i r d i v orce, ” s ai d Wa lt er P i ecy k, anana l ys t a t L i g h tS h e d P a r t n ers . B o t h co m p ani es a re l o bb y in g a gg ress i v e l y in se v er a l U S s t a t es an d Wa s hin g t o n, D C, a f t er p u s hba c k s t a ll e d t h e i re x p an s i o n t o ma r k e t s in c l u d in g N e w Y or kan d C hi c a g o, a s p o l i t i c ian s an d l ab o u r g ro u p s w a r n t h e t ec hn o l o g yco u l dd i s pl a ce d r i v ers an d u n d erc u t e x i s t in g ser v i ces . I n t h e f i rs t s i x m o n t h so f 2026, Wa y m o in cre a se d i t ss p e n d in g b y 93 p erce n t f ro m t h eye a r b e f ore t os l i g h tl y m ore t han$ 2 million. It has called for a federal framework to ease the rollout of robotaxis. In May, it hired law firm Greenberg Traurig to lobby on its behalf, adding to a roster of several other Washington firms.

By Rafe Rosner Uddin and Michael Taffe, Financial Times

Original Article

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Waymo doubles spending on lobbying in robotaxi battle with Uber

Summary

By Rafe Rosner Uddin and Michael Taffe, Financial Times