DC moves to legalize robo‑taxis
- D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen introduced the Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Authorization Amendment Act of 2026, a bill that would let companies such as Waymo run commercial driverless rides in Washington for the first time. - The proposal requires citywide service, crash-liability rules, first-responder guidance, outage backup plans, data reporting, and a vehicle-miles-traveled fee that would help fund Metro and driver workforce programs. - The bill follows Waymo’s March 2025 plan to launch in Washington in 2026, but current D.C. law still requires a human behind the wheel. (waymo.com)
Washington is closer to allowing robotaxis after D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen introduced a bill to legalize commercial driverless rideshare service in the District. (wjla.com) (fox5dc.com) Allen’s proposal is called the Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Authorization Amendment Act of 2026. Under current D.C. law, autonomous vehicle testing is allowed, but a human operator still has to be behind the wheel. (wjla.com) (usatoday.com) The bill would create rules for paid driverless rides, including equal service across neighborhoods, similar wait times in Shaw and Congress Heights, and city reporting on traffic, safety, and jobs. (wjla.com) (fox5dc.com) It also spells out who is liable in crashes or malfunctions, requires operators to train first responders on how to handle incidents, and mandates backup plans for regional power outages. (wjla.com) (charlesallenward6.com) Allen’s bill adds a vehicle-miles-traveled fee on autonomous rideshare fleets. The revenue would be split between Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority funding and workforce support for current rideshare drivers. (wjla.com) (fox5dc.com) The proposal also calls for discounts on trips to and from Metro stations. Allen said he wanted driverless service to complement transit rather than replace it. (wjla.com) (charlesallenward6.com) The timing is tied to Waymo’s expansion plans. Waymo said on March 25, 2025 that its Waymo One service would be ready for riders in Washington in 2026, if the District creates rules allowing cars to operate without a human in the front seat. (waymo.com) (cnbc.com) Waymo said in March 2025 that it was already laying groundwork in the city and working with communities, emergency responders, and policymakers. At the time, the company said Waymo One was providing more than 200,000 fully autonomous paid trips each week across Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin. (waymo.com) The bill now goes through the D.C. Council process, where members can amend it before any final vote. If it passes, Washington would move from supervised testing to a legal path for fully driverless taxi service. (fox5dc.com) (axios.com)
