Waymo's robotaxis have been stuck in regulatory limbo in Washington, D.C., despite the company's ambitious plans to launch its service in the nation's capital this year. The city's strict rules have created a roadblock for Waymo's self-driving vehicle technology, which has already seen success in other cities across the US.
The company, a subsidiary of Alphabet, now operates robotaxis in six cities and has announced plans to expand to a dozen others this year. However, its efforts have been hindered by the lack of clear regulations governing autonomous vehicles in D.C. The city council passed a law allowing AV companies to test their technology with human safety drivers, but no firm debut date for Waymo's robotaxis has been set.
Waymo's struggles in D.C. are a major test for the company and the broader industry. Autonomous-vehicle companies have long argued that federal regulations governing testing and operations nationwide are needed, but so far, no such law has been passed. Instead, individual states and cities have taken matters into their own hands, passing their own laws and regulations.
The US Senate Commerce Committee recently held a hearing on the future of self-driving technology, with lawmakers stressing the importance of road safety and the need for regulation ahead of China's aggressive push in the field. However, local D.C. leaders are still grappling with questions about how autonomous vehicles will function in the city and whether they will further disrupt the local economy.
Councilmember Charles Allen chairs the DC City Council's Committee on Transportation and Environment and says he believes autonomous vehicles will soon be on the roads in D.C., but the timing is uncertain. "It's not an 'if,' it's a 'when,'" he said. However, Allen also notes that the city council is waiting for a report from the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) on the safety of autonomous vehicle technology before passing legislation to allow Waymo's robotaxis to operate in the city.
The mayor's office has been criticized by Allen for not issuing additional permits to test companies like Waymo in the city, which he says is an obstacle to progress. The mayor's office did not respond to WIRED's request for comment, and this year's mayoral election will see a new leader take the helm of the city.
Despite these challenges, Waymo remains committed to its ambitious plans to expand its autonomous vehicle technology across the US and beyond. The company has already faced some setbacks in other cities, including Boston, where it was forced to leave after Massachusetts lawmakers proposed an ordinance that would have restricted driverless operations.
In a press release, Waymo asked state lawmakers for help in legalizing fully autonomous vehicles before offering rides to residents. "Before offering fully autonomous rides to Bostonians, we'll first need the state to legalize fully autonomous vehicles," the company wrote.
The company, a subsidiary of Alphabet, now operates robotaxis in six cities and has announced plans to expand to a dozen others this year. However, its efforts have been hindered by the lack of clear regulations governing autonomous vehicles in D.C. The city council passed a law allowing AV companies to test their technology with human safety drivers, but no firm debut date for Waymo's robotaxis has been set.
Waymo's struggles in D.C. are a major test for the company and the broader industry. Autonomous-vehicle companies have long argued that federal regulations governing testing and operations nationwide are needed, but so far, no such law has been passed. Instead, individual states and cities have taken matters into their own hands, passing their own laws and regulations.
The US Senate Commerce Committee recently held a hearing on the future of self-driving technology, with lawmakers stressing the importance of road safety and the need for regulation ahead of China's aggressive push in the field. However, local D.C. leaders are still grappling with questions about how autonomous vehicles will function in the city and whether they will further disrupt the local economy.
Councilmember Charles Allen chairs the DC City Council's Committee on Transportation and Environment and says he believes autonomous vehicles will soon be on the roads in D.C., but the timing is uncertain. "It's not an 'if,' it's a 'when,'" he said. However, Allen also notes that the city council is waiting for a report from the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) on the safety of autonomous vehicle technology before passing legislation to allow Waymo's robotaxis to operate in the city.
The mayor's office has been criticized by Allen for not issuing additional permits to test companies like Waymo in the city, which he says is an obstacle to progress. The mayor's office did not respond to WIRED's request for comment, and this year's mayoral election will see a new leader take the helm of the city.
Despite these challenges, Waymo remains committed to its ambitious plans to expand its autonomous vehicle technology across the US and beyond. The company has already faced some setbacks in other cities, including Boston, where it was forced to leave after Massachusetts lawmakers proposed an ordinance that would have restricted driverless operations.
In a press release, Waymo asked state lawmakers for help in legalizing fully autonomous vehicles before offering rides to residents. "Before offering fully autonomous rides to Bostonians, we'll first need the state to legalize fully autonomous vehicles," the company wrote.
its not just dc tho, other cities r having issues with regz too but at least they hav some kinda guidelines in place 
anyway wamo's all "hey gov pls help us out" and now theres this senator thingy goin on 
dont get me wrong, road safety is important and all but come on wamo u need 2 get ur act toger 
like that! I mean, come on, they've got a whole six cities going already and they wanna take it national 
. The city council is being all dramatic about it, but really, it's just a matter of time before they figure some stuff out 
. I'm still not sold on these self-driving cars though, what if something goes wrong? 
Just saying, let's see how this plays out in Boston and other cities first 
.
The more delay, the better it'll be, trust me! 
Those lawmakers are just trying to make sure they don't mess up big time. And honestly, China's push might be a blessing in disguise – competition never hurts, right? 
Let's face it, Waymo needs to get their act together before anyone else can try to one-up them. The fact that Boston already had to leave because of some minor setback is a great reminder that D.C.'s cautious approach could actually work in their favor... or something 
? i mean, if china can push autonomous tech forward without all the regulatory hurdles, why can't us be more progressive? 
and now they're trying to get into washington dc... but i guess the city council isn't ready yet 
meanwhile, individual states like massachusetts are passing their own laws 
so it's kinda confusing 
But it's just not happening because of all these regulations. I get that safety is important, but it feels like they're being overly cautious. And what's up with the mayor's office not issuing permits? 
i mean, dont get me wrong, safety first and all that jazz 
councilmember allen says they're gonna be on the roads soon tho 
"it's not an if, it's a when" lol