D.C.

D.C. Wants To Charge Robotaxis $6 Million. Unions Still Say No.

A proposed bill would legalize commercial autonomous vehicles in D.C. under one of the country’s most expensive regulatory frameworks, but unions still want the brakes applied.

Reem Ibrahim | 7.15.2026 2:17 PM

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The District of Columbia is considering a bill that would permit the commercial use of autonomous vehicles (A.V.s), such as Waymo, so long as operators pay a multimillion-dollar fee.

The Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Authorization Amendment Act of 2026, introduced in May by Democratic Councilmember Charles Allen, would create the first legal pathway for companies to operate driverless taxis and delivery vehicles in the district. "People want AVs as an option to get around, and I want DC to be a city that embraces innovation," Allen said in a press release.

Legalizing these vehicles would be a positive not only for D.C.'s residents but also for safety. Where autonomous vehicles have been allowed, initial evidence suggests that they are far better than human drivers at avoiding crashes that result in injuries. According to Waymo's analysis of over 220 million driverless miles, A.V.s were involved in 94 percent fewer serious-injury crashes, 93 percent fewer pedestrian crashes with injuries, and 84 percent fewer cyclist crashes with injuries than human drivers covering comparable roads.

The proposed bill would, however, introduce a tight and costly regulatory framework that will cause the city to........

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