Uber's Autonomous Vehicle Strategy: Slow Their Adoption

Uber lobbyists are pushing legislation in New Jersey and Washington, D.C., that would require autonomous vehicle developers to operate on hybrid networks alongside human drivers, according to documents viewed by WIRED and obtained through public records requests. In New Jersey, a lobbyist representing Uber circulated legislative language that would require platforms offering driverless ride-hailing to have human drivers serve 85 percent of rides for three years. The language would likely prevent developers such as Waymo, Zoox, and Tesla from operating their own apps, effectively forcing them onto Uber's platform. The proposal was pitched to state Sen. Andrew Zwicker, sponsor of a bill establishing rules for self-driving cars, though the restrictive language is not in the current bill. In Washington, D.C., Uber lobbyist LáVita Gardner emailed a staffer for Councilmember Charles Allen before he introduced a bill in April, advocating for hybrid networks. Uber spokesperson Noah Edwardsen said the company supports AV expansion but that industry proposals have been unworkable and tried to lock out competitors. Edwardsen called the New Jersey proposal a compromise to address labor union opposition. Waymo spokesperson Ethan Teicher said the company does not support efforts to limit AVs to specific networks. Waymo and Uber are partners in Atlanta and Austin, but the relationship has shown strain.