The Data Behind Uber's Lobbying: Playing for Ecosystem Position, Not Technology

According to public data, Waymo completed over 2 million paid autonomous rides across three US cities in 2025, while Uber's robotaxi business still heavily relies on third-party partners (such as Motional and Aurora). During the same period, Uber's lobbying expenditures in Washington D.C. increased by approximately 40% year-over-year, focusing on pushing a state-level bill allowing autonomous vehicles to operate in DC. Behind these numbers isn't a simple debate of "who is more advanced," but the first head-on collision between two vastly different commercialization paths on the policy front.