Uber (UBER, Financial) and Lyft (LYFT) drivers are expressing concerns over the increasing presence of autonomous taxis, which they claim are affecting their earnings. In Phoenix, Uber driver Jason D. noted that the competition from Waymo One's self-driving taxis has worsened the already challenging income situation due to intensified competition, lower fares, reduced tips, and rising costs.
Waymo One, a subsidiary of Alphabet (GOOGL), announced it provides over 100,000 paid rides weekly in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix, with plans to expand to Atlanta and Austin. Although the impact on driver income is still unclear, experts predict that the growing number of autonomous taxis could lead to lower fares and reduced earnings for human drivers.
Despite some passengers feeling safer in autonomous vehicles, drivers like Jason remain opposed, citing potential income loss. The success of autonomous taxis may depend on passenger comfort without human drivers.
