Exclusive: Waymo says it'll hire hundreds in D.C. if robotaxis are approved
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Waymo is building out two D.C. service centers as it pushes to bring robotaxis to the city — and says it would hire hundreds of workers if the District allows the service, the company tells Axios.
Why it matters: One of the biggest tech fights since Uber is coming to the Wilson Building on Monday, when D.C. Council members will hold a marathon hearing about the future of driverless cars.
State of play: Waymo currently employs dozens of staff at a temporary lot in NoMa amid its ongoing testing with humans behind the wheel.
- "Waymo recently committed tens of millions of dollars in Wards 5 and 7 to build the service centers and charging facilities needed to support our service," spokesperson Ethan Teicher wrote in an email to Axios.
- If the D.C. Council approves the robotaxi bill, Waymo says it would employ staff like fleet technicians and personnel to clean and maintain the vehicles, as it does in cities like San Francisco and Atlanta where its robotaxis are live.
Friction point: Labor unions are organizing against the bill.
- Local Teamsters, transit union members and service workers — who played a big part in Janeese Lewis George's mayoral primary win — plan to rally outside the Wilson Building Monday.
- Labor unions are recruiting Uber and Lyft drivers to testify against the bill, saying it'll "replace human drivers and enables Silicon Valley to profit off money that would otherwise strengthen the District's economy," per a press release.
Zoom in: Robotaxi companies are expected to push back on the bill's "vehicle miles traveled" fee.
- The revenue would help fund Metro and provide aid to rideshare drivers facing job losses.
- Council member Charles Allen, the bill's author, has said the fee would also discourage empty robotaxis from cruising around and making traffic worse.
What's ahead: The hearing could result in meaningful changes to the bill. The council isn't expected to take a vote until the fall.