Waymo Increases Lobbying Expenditure to $1 Million in Q2

Waymo spent over $1 million lobbying the U.S. federal government during the second quarter. This amount is more than double that of the same period last year, bringing the total expenditure for the first half of this year to over $2 million. Waymo aims to expand its fully autonomous taxi service, while Uber advocates for a hybrid model. The two companies have collaborated in Austin and Atlanta, but their relationship has soured due to differing regulatory strategies. Waymo is calling for federal-level regulatory improvements to commercialize its robo-taxi service, having spent over $500,000 in New York, which is double what Uber has spent. In New Jersey, a three-year pilot program is under discussion, with Uber proposing that human drivers must handle at least 85% of the rides. Robo-taxi regulations are related not only to vehicle safety but also to market access and protections for existing drivers. Recently, Waymo emphasized its technology in-house by unveiling its own chips for robo-taxis.

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