BS BULLETIN:
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Washington, D.C., is considering legislation allowing Waymo and other companies to operate commercial driverless taxis.
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Rideshare drivers, union representatives and religious leaders protested, warning that automation could eliminate jobs.
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The proposal could bring robotaxis to the capital by 2028, with an initial limit of 200 vehicles.
Washington, D.C., may soon have taxis without drivers. Judging by the reaction outside city hall, the drivers aren’t particularly enthusiastic about being replaced.
Rideshare workers, union representatives and religious leaders gathered outside the John Wilson Building to protest legislation that would allow companies like Waymo to operate commercial robotaxis in the nation’s capital.
And one Washington woman wasn’t interested in sugarcoating her opinion.
“It’s bulls—,” Sabrina told Fox News Digital, adding that she didn’t want robots taking jobs from neighbors who drive for a living.
Another demonstrator, Frederick of Virginia, warned that replacing human drivers threatens the livelihoods of families who depend on those paychecks.
The legislation, introduced in May by Democratic Councilmember Charles Allen, would establish a regulatory program for commercial autonomous vehicles overseen by the District Department of Transportation.
Companies would have to complete at least 180 days and 250,000 miles of testing in the District before receiving commercial permits. The initial rollout would be capped at 200 vehicles, with service potentially beginning in 2028.
Supporters point to safety improvements and the possibility of cheaper rides. Waymo says its autonomous vehicles have recorded substantially fewer injury-causing crashes than human drivers over more than 270 million miles of operation.
But protesters aren’t convinced consumers will ultimately benefit.
Sabrina suggested companies might initially lure customers with cheaper fares, only to raise prices later.
Another protester offered a different solution to the employment problem: shorten the workweek without reducing pay and create better-paying jobs elsewhere.
Samuel Epps, president of the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO, said workers deserve a voice before the city embraces the technology.
“A worker should be at the table,” Epps told Fox News Digital. “We shouldn’t rush this.”
The legislation remains under consideration. A public hearing was held in July, but no council vote has been scheduled.
For now, Washington’s human drivers still have their jobs. Whether they’ll eventually be competing with a car that doesn’t need a paycheck, lunch break or vacation is another question.
MY QUICK TAKE
The industrial revolution gave us machines that replaced muscle. The AI revolution is giving us machines that replace people who know how to drive.
Washington finally found something that doesn’t demand a government pension.
Of course, judging by the traffic around the Capitol, the robots may decide to unionize before their first week is over.
