Robotaxis are real now — so is the pushback

Robotaxi deployments are growing, but regulatory battles are intensifying. In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul rescinded a proposal that would have permitted driverless taxis outside the city after opposition from taxi drivers, unions, and state legislators, leaving commercial driverless service illegal and stalled. In Washington, DC labor unions oppose a bill to legalize robotaxis while lawmakers consider a 200-vehicle limit and a 15-cent-per-mile surcharge to fund Metro upgrades and support workers displaced by autonomous vehicles.