New D.C. Council bill would allow Waymo to begin robotaxi service

• Waymo operates its robotaxi service in LA, Phoenix, San Francisco, Atlanta and Austin, with D.C. and Miami being eyed next.
• In its advocacy to get the bill passed in D.C., the company touts that it offers 250,000 fully driverless rides per week in those cities.

How it works: The cars being tested in Washington have a specialist behind the wheel, per D.C. regulations.

• If the bill passes, the next step will be testing with no one inside, before opening the service to the public for rides.

Between the lines: The legislation could also invite other autonomous-vehicle companies, like Tesla, into the D.C. market, the Washington Business Journal notes.

What's next: The bill could get a vote in the fall after the council's summer recess.

Go deeper: What it's like to ride in a Waymo robotaxi