Uber and Waymo are locked in a labor battle over autonomous vehicle deployment in Washington D.C. Two companies that built their entire business model on eliminating human drivers are now arguing about the proper way to eliminate human drivers. This is like watching two wolves debate vegetarianism.
The split centers on mass AV deployment. Uber wants one approach. Waymo wants another. Both approaches end with the same result: thousands of people looking for new jobs while venture capitalists high-five over operational efficiency gains. The only difference is the timeline and which logo appears on the car that doesn't need you anymore.
Washington D.C. becomes the battleground. Lobbyists descend on the nation's capital to argue regulatory frameworks. They will use words like innovation and safety and the future of mobility. They will not use words like we are automating away an entire employment sector but we would prefer to do it our way instead of their way.
Retail traders are presumably studying this development with great interest. They are analyzing which company will win the race to deploy driverless cars. They are building financial models in Google Sheets. They are joining Discord servers to discuss regulatory capture strategies. Not one of them is asking whether the guy who drove them to the airport last month has a backup plan.
The autonomous future arrives whether Uber or Waymo wins this fight. The only question is which Silicon Valley giant gets credit for revolutionizing an industry that already existed and functioned perfectly well with humans in it.
D.C. rideshare drivers can take comfort knowing their obsolescence will be decided through the democratic process.
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