Waymo doubles lobbying spend in robotaxi rivalry with Uber

Alphabet-owned Waymo has significantly increased its lobbying expenditure as it seeks to persuade US regulators to clear a path for fully autonomous taxi services. According to filings, the company spent more than US$1 million between April and June, more than double its outlay a year earlier. This surge in spending places Waymo’s lobbying efforts close to those of rival Uber and well ahead of other competitors, including Amazon’s Zoox and Tesla.

The rise in lobbying activity coincides with diverging legislative strategies between the two major players. Waymo is advocating for a faster route to fully driverless commercial services, calling for a federal framework to ease the rollout of robotaxis. In contrast, Uber is promoting a staggered rollout in which robotaxis operate alongside human drivers. These competing visions have contributed to a souring relationship, with reports suggesting Waymo is exploring options to exit its partnership with Uber in Austin and Atlanta.

Walter Piecyk, an analyst at LightShed Partners, noted that both companies have stepped up their lobbying efforts and are pushing up against each other, a dynamic that appears to be hastening their separation. In the first six months of 2026, Waymo increased its total lobbying spending by 93 per cent from the previous year to slightly more than US$2 million. In May, the company hired law firm Greenberg Traurig to lobby on its behalf, adding to its existing roster of Washington-based firms.

At the local level, Waymo has outspent both Uber and Zoox in lobbying legislators in the District of Columbia. The robotaxi operator has pressed local regulators to allow services in the nation’s capital, including by inviting residents to write in support of its rollout. In New York state, Waymo has spent more than half a million dollars so far this year, more than double Uber’s lobbying spend, as it seeks a foothold in one of the largest taxi markets.

Waymo’s lobbying in New York intensified after Governor Kathy Hochul walked back proposals that would have allowed autonomous vehicle companies to run services across most of the state. To address concerns from politicians and labour groups regarding driver displacement, Waymo offered to set up a US$20 million fund to support drivers affected by the technology’s deployment. In New Jersey, the company has engaged lawmakers who are exploring a three-year pilot program to test deployments.

Uber, which abandoned its in-house self-driving effort in 2020, has been racing to make up lost ground by committing more than US$10 billion over the past year through equity stakes and robotaxi fleet agreements. The ride-hailing group has warned against a carte blanche rollout, instead lobbying for hybrid networks that route rides to both human drivers and autonomous vehicles. In New Jersey, Uber lobbyists have proposed that any platform offering robotaxi services also use human drivers for at least 85 per cent of all rides during a three-year pilot program.