Will Robotaxis Take Your Rideshare Job? What the Minneapolis Waymo Fight Means for Drivers

Robotaxis have moved from a few test cities to a real business. Waymo now gives about 500,000 paid rides a week with roughly 4,000 driverless cars in about 15 U.S. cities, according to TechCrunch. This month, Minneapolis became the first big test of whether a city can slow them down to protect the people who drive for Uber and Lyft.

What happened in Minneapolis

Council members who backed the rule said it was about protecting thousands of rideshare jobs. Opponents said no other U.S. city requires a person in a driverless car and that the council moved before a full study was done. Across the river, the St. Paul City Council asked its planning commission to study robotaxis and suggest rules on safety, data sharing and worker protections.

Where robotaxis run today

Waymo is by far the biggest operator. Earlier this year it listed 10 markets with paid service: Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Austin, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Miami and Orlando. It has since added more, and says it is targeting cities including Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., Detroit and Boston.

• In Austin and Atlanta, Waymo rides are booked through the Uber app. A rider asking for an UberX may be matched with a driverless car instead of you.
• In other cities, Waymo uses its own app, so it competes with Uber and Lyft directly.
• About 80% of Waymo's fleet is in California and Texas, so drivers there feel it first.

What it means for your earnings

Robotaxis aren't replacing human drivers overnight. A few thousand cars spread across 15 cities is small next to the number of people driving for Uber and Lyft. But in the busiest parts of the cities where they run, they take some of the short, simple trips that keep a driver's hourly pay up. Things robotaxis still don't do well:

• Highways and airports in many markets. Service areas are often limited to certain zones.
• Snow and bad weather. That's one reason Minneapolis is still in testing.
• Riders who need help with luggage, wheelchairs, kids or groceries.
• Group rides, scheduled trips and long suburban runs.

What drivers can do now

1. Track your pay per hour by zone. If downtown trips dry up, the suburbs, airports or late nights may now pay better.
2. Add a second kind of driving. Food and package delivery, airport services like Wingz and kids' ride apps don't face robotaxi competition yet. Our 10 ways to earn more per hour has more ideas.
3. Think about skills robots can't copy soon. Medical transport, school bus driving and CDL jobs pay steady wages, and many train you for free. See our jobs that provide the vehicle guide.
4. Watch your city council. Minneapolis shows that local rules can change fast. Public comment and driver groups made the vote close.
5. Don't sign a long car loan or rental just for rideshare if you live in a Waymo city. Keep your costs flexible.

Frequently asked questions

Is Minneapolis's rule dead? For now. The veto stands, but supporters said they will keep working on it, so new proposals are likely.

Can my state ban robotaxis? Some states set autonomous-vehicle rules statewide and limit what cities can do. Texas, where Waymo runs in several cities, regulates rideshare at the state level. Check your state's rules.

Will Uber stop paying human drivers in Austin and Atlanta? No. Robotaxis serve part of each city, and human drivers still handle most trips there. Expect more competition for short, simple rides.

Bottom line

Robotaxis are real and growing, but they're still limited by geography, weather and the kinds of trips they can handle. If you drive in one of their cities, track where your best trips come from and add a second income stream. Compare options in our company directory.