Waymo doubles spending on lobbying in robotaxi battle with Uber
Waymo has significantly increased its lobbying spending to over $1 million in a single quarter to influence US regulators regarding autonomous taxi services. This move intensifies the company's competition with Uber, as both firms pursue different strategies for the future of ride-hailing.
Why it matters
The lobbying battle highlights the regulatory hurdles and economic competition surrounding the deployment of autonomous vehicle technology in public markets.
robomoney Waymo doubles spending on lobbying in robotaxi battle with Uber Alphabet-owned company is seeking to persuade US regulators to clear a path for fully autonomous taxi services.
34 Credit: Alex Kent, Bloomberg Credit: Alex Kent, Bloomberg Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav 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 million between April and June on lobbying the federal government, more than double its outlay a year earlier, according to filings. That put Waymo’s spending close to Uber’s and well ahead of rivals including Amazon’s Zoox and Tesla.
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