The battle over how autonomous vehicles should operate in Washington, D.C. is heating up, with Uber and Waymo taking opposing positions on a proposed city bill. Uber argues the legislation would push human drivers out of work and hand Waymo a monopoly, instead pushing for a hybrid model where robotaxis share ride-hailing networks with people. Insiders say that approach has slim odds of passing, but if it did, it would force AV developers to either join an Uber-style app or keep human drivers alongside costly autonomous fleets.

A D.C. Council hearing this week drew Lyft, Tesla, Waymo, and dozens of advocacy groups. Waymo appears to be one of the few companies that supports the bill as written, having already logged over 250,000 miles and 180 days of testing in the city. Tesla and other developers object to mandatory testing requirements, a $1 million application fee, a $5 million permit fee, and a per-mile tax, arguing that miles driven elsewhere should count toward the threshold. Waymo’s head start could be six months if the bill passes unchanged.

Separately, Uber is cementing its delivery dominance with a $14.8 billion deal to acquire Germany’s Delivery Hero, which would double Uber’s delivery footprint across nearly 100 markets. Other notable moves include a $10 million raise for vehicle inspection startup Self Inspection, a $65 million Series B for wire harness maker Senra, and reports that Indian fast-delivery firm Zepto is seeking a lower IPO valuation. The Los Angeles Police Department is reportedly ending its deal with license-plate camera firm Flock Safety, while Lucid Motors is pushing back hard against bankruptcy rumors that sent its stock down over 50% before recovering.

Source: TechCrunch