Uber reportedly teams with unions to push rules forcing 85% human-driven rides in robotaxi pilots
markjeffrey · x · 2026-09-04
Per the Financial Times, Uber is aligning with drivers' unions in several cities to slow robotaxi rollouts:
- New Jersey: Uber lobbyists proposed requiring robotaxi platforms to have human drivers serve at least 85% of rides during a three-year pilot;
- Washington, DC: Uber joined unions in opposing AV legislation, arguing the permitting regime could lock out smaller platforms like Uber;
- The proposed "hybrid network" rules pairing AVs with human drivers come amid mounting pressure from Waymo and Tesla's Cybercab.
ZeroHedge notes the irony of Uber, historically anti-union, weaponizing organized labor for defense — a sign it's "very worried" about robotaxi competition.
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