City Cast DC logo
July 15, 2026

D.C. Fights Over Whether to Allow Waymo

City Cast DC

D.C. Fights Over Whether to Allow Waymo

00:00:00
View all City Cast DC episodes

Waymos—the autonomous, self-driving ride-hailing vehicles—are already cruising around D.C. with one big catch: under current D.C. law, there's still a human safety driver behind the wheel. But will D.C. ever allow Waymos to operate without a human driver? And more importantly, should it? The D.C. Council is considering a bill that could finally allow them to operate in the District, but not without a fight. Labor unions, disability advocates, tech companies, and business leaders all packed a marathon hearing to debate what the future of transportation in D.C. should look like—and who it should serve. Ben Brasch was there for many many hours. He joins me today to explain where the debate stands and what the future of AVs in D.C. could look like.

Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter City Cast DC. You can text us or leave a voicemail at: (202) 642-2654. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month. 

Learn more about the sponsors of this July 15th episode:

DC Department of Behavioral Health

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Hey DC

Get smart about D.C. with our news roundup and analysis.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

Latest Episodes

See all
September 28

D.C.’s Rat Czar Explains The War On Rodents

If you’re scared of rats, then I’ve got bad news – D.C. is one of the most rat-infested cities in America, at least as far as complaints...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
September 27

‘Your City Could Be Better’: How One Oregon City is Lowering Energy Costs — Presented By City Cast DC

What’s a seemingly small project in D.C. that’s made a big difference? In the Oregon suburb of Tualatin, a drinking water pipe has just b...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
September 25

The Ripple Effects of DOGE, D.C. Council Takes Aim at the Ballot Initiative, and PorchFest Prohibition

Two years on, the District is still reeling from devastating DOGE job cuts, according to two new reports. We also take a look at why the...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
September 24

Metro Sign Changes Met With Backlash

Metro is redoing its station signage to make it easier for the public to navigate — but some riders are not happy. What are they changing...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
September 23

Can The Kennedy Center Survive Trump?

Thousands of ordinary Washingtonians showed up Friday night for a protest at the Kennedy Center — the biggest one to date. They were moti...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
September 22

The Best Cheap Eats in the DMV

Opening a menu to find a burger costs $25 is all too familiar in D.C. As everyone looks to stretch their dollars a little further, Washin...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
September 21

Why Can’t Downtown D.C. Attract New Stores?

Walking around downtown D.C., you may notice a lot of vacant storefronts. In fact, City Cast reporter Jaclyn Peiser found that last year,...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
September 20

‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Philly Is Reducing Violence With Parks — Presented By City Cast DC

Would DC be better with fewer vacant, blighted lots? In Philly, the answer is overwhelmingly yes, with significant drops in crime and dep...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
September 18

Trayon White’s Alleged Brother-In-Law, D.C. Council Heads Back To Work, And Ovi Campaigns For… Putin?

We’ve got the latest on Councilmember Trayon White’s bribery trial. Also, D.C. City Council is back in session — we’ll take a look at wha...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
September 17

The D.C. Postal Workers Still Affected by the Anthrax Attacks, 25 Years Later

Weeks after 9/11, in Senator Tom Daschle’s office on Capitol Hill, an aide opened an envelope addressed to the Senator and released anthr...

City Cast DC podcast episode art