The LegalRideshare Podcast

E-bikes, Deactivations and Waymo Recalls.

E-bikes need insurance, Uber sues over deactivations and Waymo does more recalls. LegalRideshare [https://legalrideshare.com/] breaks it down. E-BIKES NEED INSURANCE E-bikes will now need insurance. Chicago Tribune reported [https://chicago.suntimes.com/transportation/2026/06/04/e-bike-moto-regulation-illinois-pritzker-giannoulias]: > Under the laws, riders of e-motos and e-bikes capable of speeds greater than 28 mph would be required to obtain a driver's license, title, registration and insurance. Those devices also would be prohibited from using sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and bike paths. > > > The bill also establishes age requirements for riders of low-speed devices while maintaining the current Class 1, 2 and 3 framework for low-speed electric bicycles. > > > The legislation was advocated by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, whose office said micromobility-related injuries and fatalities increased 300 percent nationwide between 2019 and 2022. > > > “This legislation brings clarity, accountability and common-sense protections to our roads, sidewalks, bike paths and bike lanes while ensuring Illinois keeps pace with rapidly evolving transportation technology,” Giannoulias said in a statement. “By passing this bill, we are helping prevent serious injuries, protecting pedestrians and riders, and creating uniform statewide standards that prioritize public safety.” UBER SUES OVER DEACTIVATIONS Uber is suing over deactivations. Bloomberg Law reported [https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/uber-sues-new-york-city-over-driver-wrongful-deactivation-law]: > https://medium.com/plans?source=promotion_paragraph---post_body_banner_dot_calm_clouds--f891fb247299--------------------------------------- > > > > Uber Technologies Inc. sued New York City alleging a recently enacted law that seeks to protect drivers from “wrongful deactivations” violates its constitutional rights. > > > Local Law 52 of New York City of 2026, which becomes effective July 28, would force Uber to keep drivers on its platform even if the ride-share giant has determined that they have violated its standards, agreements, and policies, according to the lawsuit [https://archive.is/o/K2FBU/https://www.bloomberglaw.com/public/document/UBERTECHNOLOGIESINCetalDocketNo126cv04893SDNYJun092026CourtDocket?doc_id=X1H0M91L8PJ8ROOUC5FM5FV1P3S] filed Tuesday in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. Uber seeks a preliminary and permanent injunction to block the law. > > > If the law takes effect, “it will permanently impair Uber's contracts, compel the communication and disclosure of sensitive and protected information that Uber would not otherwise provide, force at least temporary association with drivers whom Uber would otherwise deactivate, subject Uber to an unfair and lopsided adjudicative process, and potentially lead to reputational harm and a loss of business and goodwill,” the lawsuit said. WAYMO RECALLS OVER FREEWAY CONSTRUCTION Waymos is recalling over 3000 robotaxis. Wired reported [https://www.wired.com/story/waymo-recalls-robotaxis-over-risk-theyll-drive-at-speed-into-freeway-construction-zones/]: > Waymo has filed its fourth safety recall since February 2024, after its driverless cars were caught entering closed freeway-construction zones. > > > The recall, filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on June 17, appears to affect Waymo's entire US fleet, covering 3,871 vehicles running Waymo's [https://www.wired.com/tag/waymo/] 5th Generation automated driving system (ADS). > > > NHTSA estimates 100 precent of the affected units carry the defect, which is outlined in the filed safety recall report [https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26E035-7637.pdf] as “under certain circumstances, the AV may enter and drive at speed in freeway-construction zones due to inappropriately prioritizing the avoidance of other freeway hazards and/or failing to recognize the construction zone.” > > > Waymo started offering highway rides in late 2025 [https://www.wired.com/story/waymo-robotaxis-can-now-take-highways-freeways/], and the underlying problem appears to be a failure of priority logic. According to the NHTSA filing, the ADS sometimes failed to recognize construction zones, and in other cases actively chose to drive through them because it was busy avoiding other hazards on the freeway. Both conditions can produce the same outcome: a driverless car at highway speed moving through a closed work zone. > > > The events that triggered the recall apparently began earlier this year. On April 11 and 19, Waymo vehicles in Phoenix drove past ramp closure signs into preplanned construction zones. Waymo's Field Safety Committee responded by restricting freeway operations. > > > Then, on May 18, seven Waymo vehicles in the San Francisco Bay Area drove between construction cones into active lane closures. Though no collisions or injuries were reported from these events, it was this second cluster that prompted a broader freeway ban [https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/21/waymo-halts-freeway-rides-after-robotaxis-struggle-in-construction-zones/] by the company. Waymo's Safety Board reviewed the issue on June 1, and on June 8 decided to issue a formal recall. LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, robotaxis, Waymo, and gig worker accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.

AI Caps, Job Cuts and Waitlists.

Uber caps spending, Uber also cuts jobs and a waitlist for robotaxis. LegalRideshare [https://legalrideshare.com/] breaks it down. UBER CAPS AI SPENDING Uber is capping AI usage. Bloomberg reported [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-02/uber-caps-usage-of-ai-tools-like-claude-code-to-cut-costs?utm_source=website&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=twitter]: > The rideshare giant is limiting all employees to $1,500 in monthly token spending per AI coding tool, an Uber spokesperson said in response to a Bloomberg News inquiry. That means spending on one tool doesn't have a bearing on the budget for another. The limits, which have been instituted in recent months, only apply to agentic coding software such as Cursor or Anthropic PBC [https://archive.is/o/ZrwAy/https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/1892140D:US]'s Claude Code. > > > The limits, which have not been reported, come in response to Uber's growing embrace of AI tools internally. Chief Technology Officer Praveen Neppalli Naga told the Information [https://archive.is/o/ZrwAy/https://www.theinformation.com/newsletters/applied-ai/uber-cto-shows-claude-code-can-blow-ai-budgets] in April that the company had already maxed out its full-year AI budget. Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi said last month that about 10% of the company's code was submitted and built by AI agents, and that the legal and marketing teams have seen an uptick in usage. > > > Beyond Uber, other companies in different sectors are toeing a line between “tokenmaxxing” — maximizing AI usage for a productivity boost — while trying to rein in associated costs. Walmart Inc. has capped staffers' use of an in-house AI agent that helps with workplace tasks, according to people familiar with the decision. UBER CUTS JOBS Uber is slashing jobs. Bloomberg reported [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-03/uber-cuts-23-of-people-division-as-new-president-takes-charge?utm_source=website&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=twitter]: > https://medium.com/write?source=promotion_paragraph---post_body_banner_home_for_stories_scribble--7c6e51b65aab--------------------------------------- > > > > Uber Technologies Inc. [https://archive.is/o/8aPtL/https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/UBER:US] said it is cutting 23% of jobs in a division that includes human resources, recruitment, workplace facilities and culture, part of a move by the rideshare company's newly promoted president Jill Hazelbaker to simplify team structure. > > > The cuts to the People and Places division, many of which are senior roles, represent less than 1% of Uber's 34,000 employees around the world, according to a company spokesperson. Its approximately 10 million drivers are mostly classified separately as independent contractors. > > > HR employees who had previously been approved to work remotely are also being asked to return to the office to comply with a three-day-a-week office mandate that went into effect last June. > > > Uber has differed from other tech companies conducting mass layoffs in the name of AI-driven investment and efficiencies, instead cutting in a more targeted way to trim costs. It's still hiring for more than 800 roles, including for commercializing robotaxis. It said last month that it would slow hiring due to internal use of AI. UBER CREATES A WAITLIST Uber is creating a waitlist for its robotaxis. Bloomberg reported [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-08/uber-opens-london-waitlist-for-wayve-robotaxis-ahead-of-launch?taid=6a26a2be538c4300013cf50f&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_content=business&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter]: > Uber Technologies Inc. [https://archive.is/o/LIslX/https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/UBER:US] has set up a waitlist for customers interested in riding in a robotaxi in London, ahead of a planned commercial debut in the UK this year. > > > Customers in the UK can join an “interest list” in the Uber app starting Monday to indicate their preference and increase their chances of being matched with a Wayve Technologies Ltd. [https://archive.is/o/LIslX/https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/1737690D:LN]robotaxi when the service begins, Uber said in a statement. The ride-hailing company didn't disclose a timeline for the launch. > > > Like the Uber app in Austin and Atlanta, where the company works with Alphabet Inc.'s Waymo [https://archive.is/o/LIslX/https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/1475347D:US] to offer driverless rides, customers in London will have the option to accept a driverless vehicle or switch to a human-driven ride. > > > While Waymo has been in the lead in expanding across the US, other companies are accelerating robotaxi rollouts globally. Uber has partnered with more than a dozen technology and vehicle partners, including China's WeRide Inc. [https://archive.is/o/LIslX/https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/WRD:US] and Pony AI Inc. [https://archive.is/o/LIslX/https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/PONY:US], to offer driverless rides on its app in the Middle East [https://archive.is/o/LIslX/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-12-18/where-robotaxi-rides-will-be-available-in-2026] and parts of Europe [https://archive.is/o/LIslX/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-06/europe-s-first-robotaxi-service-is-underway-at-1-99-a-ride]. > > > The upcoming launch would mark Wayve's first passenger service after tests across Europe, North America and Japan in recent years. In February, it raised [https://archive.is/o/LIslX/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-25/self-driving-startup-wayve-raises-1-5-billion-for-robotaxi-wars] $1.5 billion from investors including Eclipse Ventures LLC, Balderton Capital, SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and Uber at a $8.6 billion valuation. LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, robotaxis, Waymo, and gig worker accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.

Union, Tokens and Waymo

DRIVERS FORM FIRST UNION IN MASS. Uber and Lyft drivers have formed the first rideshare union. Reuters reported [https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/uber-lyft-drivers-massachusetts-form-first-us-ride-share-union-2026-05-26/]: > The newly formed App Drivers Union received certification, opens new tab [https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/legaldocs/lbvgyabyzvq/TCR-26-12010%20Certification_ADA_05.26.26.pdf] from the Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations on Friday to represent nearly 70,000 ride-share drivers operating as independent contractors in the state. > > > That vote followed a years-long, nationwide battle over whether ride-share drivers should be considered independent contractors or employees entitled to benefits and wage protections. > > > Drivers for Uber and Lyft do not have the right to organize under the National Labor Relations Act, a federal law that covers only traditional employees. > > > But under the state law, drivers could form a union after collecting signatures from at least 25% of active drivers in Massachusetts — a condition that was met by union supporters. The union is backed by 32BJ SEIU, an affiliate of the Service Employees ‌International Union, ⁠and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. > > > “The workers who built these billion-dollar corporations deserve a union contract and a seat at the table,” IAM President Brian Bryant said at Tuesday's rally. UBER IS “TOKENMAXXING” https://medium.com/download-app?source=promotion_paragraph---post_body_banner_surround_blocks--cdc8bc853df6--------------------------------------- Uber is burning through tokens. Business Insider reported [https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-coo-andrew-macdonald-ai-token-spending-harder-justify-2026-5]: > In a Rapid Response interview [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_mQ6xLcKyc&t=1776s] released on Saturday, Uber's operations chief, Andrew Macdonald, said it was becoming harder to justify AI costs within the company. > > > He said that Uber CTO Praveen Neppalli Naga went viral after telling The Information in an April interview that Uber had already blown through its Claude Code budget for 2026. > > > He said that, based on talks with Uber's senior engineering leaders, he realized higher token usage did not translate into a proportional increase in useful consumer features. > > > He said that the trade-off costs from AI are harder to justify because he can't draw a direct link. Earlier this month, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in an earnings call that Uber was slowing hiring [https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-slowing-hiring-fund-ai-investment-2026-5] to counter its investments in AI. WAYMO RIDE ENDS EARLY A Waymo ride ended early and promotes Uber. Business Insider reported [https://www.businessinsider.com/waymo-robotaxi-stalls-rider-advised-to-use-uber-or-lyft-2026-5]: > That is roughly how far Schwartz said he was from his hotel in downtown San Francisco when the Waymo taxi he and his wife were riding in suddenly stopped and refused to move. The couple visited the city earlier this month. > > > As Schwartz tried to figure out what was going on in a conversation with Waymo support, the employee on the phone said that there was a “huge blockage” preventing the car from reaching his hotel. Then, the employee told Schwartz: “You can request another ride, probably Uber or Lyft [https://www.businessinsider.com/medical-student-shares-uber-lyft-side-hustle-gig-work-struggles-2025-11],” according to a video Schwartz posted on LinkedIn. > > > A Waymo spokesperson said that the car was halted because of a “restriction placed after our operations team learned of planned protest activity.” The spokesperson did not respond when asked what protest was taking place. > > > Waymo suggests other transportation options when cars cannot reach a passenger's destination, the company said. > > > “We're looking into this further to see how we could have better served the rider in this case, in addition to providing a refund,” the spokesperson said. LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, robotaxis, Waymo, and gig worker accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.

Uber Brings Back AVs & Waymo Halts Service: What Drivers Need to Know.

In this update, we dive into the latest shakeups in the gig economy and autonomous vehicle space. We discuss Airbnb's unexpected move into the car rental market, what's behind Waymo's decision to stop service in Atlanta, and Uber's major move to bring autonomous vehicles back to its platform. Topics covered in this video: • Airbnb adding car rentals to its platform • Waymo suspending its autonomous services in Atlanta • Uber reintroducing self-driving vehicles to the road Stay informed and protect yourself on the road. If you've been in an accident while driving for Uber, Lyft, or delivering for gig apps, we have your back. https://LegalRideshare.com Hashtags: #LegalRideshare #RideshareNews #Uber #Waymo #Airbnb #GigEconomy #RideshareDriver #AutonomousVehicles #UberDriver #SelfDrivingCars

This Week In Rideshare: Waymo Recalls, Uber vs Waymo, and Robots In Philly

WAYMO RECALLS 3800 ROBOTAXIS Press enter or click to view image in full size Waymo is recalling 3800 robotaxis. CNBC reported [https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/12/waymo-recalls-3800-robotaxis-after-able-drive-into-standing-water.html]: > Waymo is recalling about 3,800 robotaxis in the U.S. to fix software issues that could allow them to “drive onto a flooded roadway,” according to a letter on [https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCAK-26E026-9973.pdf] the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website. > > > The voluntary recall is for Waymo vehicles that use the company's fifth and sixth generation automated driving systems (or ADS), the U.S. auto safety regulator said in the letter posted Tuesday. > > > Waymo autonomous vehicles in Austin, Texas were recently seen on camera driving onto a flooded street and stalling, requiring other drivers to navigate around them. Similar incidents have occurred in other locations, the latest safety-related issues for the Alphabet [https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/GOOGL/]-owned AV unit that's rapidly bolstering its fleet of vehicles and entering new U.S. markets. > > > Waymo has drawn criticism for its vehicles failing to yield to school buses in Austin, and for the performance of its vehicles during widespread power outages [https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/25/waymo-pauses-robotaxis-in-sf-again-due-to-flash-flood-warnings-on-christmas-day.html] in San Francisco in December, when robotaxis halted in traffic, causing gridlock. > > > The company said in a statement on Tuesday that it's “identified an area of improvement regarding untraversable flooded lanes specific to higher-speed roadways,” and opted to file a “voluntary software recall” with the NHTSA. UBER VS WAYMO Press enter or click to view image in full size Uber takes shots at Waymo. Business Insider reported [https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-waymo-partnership-relationship-hybrid-market-2026-5]: > In recent months, Uber and its executives have taken direct and indirect shots at its robotaxi partner Waymo [https://archive.is/o/zmaY2/https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-autonomous-vehicles-driverless-cancelled-project-catching-up-waymo-tesla-2026-3], warning against autonomous vehicle operators trying to scale on their own while also criticizing Waymo's deployment strategy and technology, with one executive sharing a video on X of a “scary Waymo moment.” > > > The comments portray AV-only operators like Alphabet's Waymo [https://archive.is/o/zmaY2/https://www.businessinsider.com/waymo] as less scalable, less equitable, and less reliable than a hybrid approach — with a mix of human and automated drivers — that makes Uber the AV partner of choice [https://archive.is/o/zmaY2/https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-robotaxi-strategy-deals-partnerships-rivian-waymo-tesla-zoox-2026-3]. > > > Taken together, Uber's statements show the delicate role it's trying to play as an arbiter between two competing forces: cities and labor groups skeptical of driverless fleets, and AV companies seeking to usher in a new era of transportation. > > > “Despite the incredible progress AVs are making around the world, and the enormous potential they hold, they are still far from capable of meeting the level of reliability and ubiquity that customers and cities expect,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in February, adding that the AV operators' limits “only serve to reinforce the value of a hybrid network [https://archive.is/o/zmaY2/https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-robotaxi-autonomous-vehicles-expansion-plans-2025-11].” UBER EATS ROBOTS EXPAND IN PHILLY Press enter or click to view image in full size More robots are coming to Philly. Philadelphia Inquirer reported [https://www.inquirer.com/news/uber-eats-avride-food-delivery-expansion-20260515.html]: > Uber Eats has expanded its autonomous robot delivery service to all restaurants within its designated operation zone in Center City [https://archive.is/o/lc7U4/https://www.inquirer.com/topic/center-city], six restaurants on the platform told The Inquirer. > > > The food delivery service rolled out a small fleet of battery-powered bots in March, with about two dozen restaurants signing up for the pilot. But in recent weeks, restaurateurs who, like Seorabol owner Eunice Cho, do not remember signing up for the program have been instructed by the Uber Eats app to go outside and place orders inside a blinking bot. > > > Alex Lin, chef at Chinese and Japanese restaurant Green Garden, said he started seeing bots picking up orders as early as April despite not having opted in to any programs. Mira Kim, owner of Koreana, said the same, noting sometimes she would see one bot pickup in a day or as many as five. > > > Uber Eats said as part of its pilot, the fleet of autonomous delivery robots would operate within the area bound by Race, Spruce, 18th, and Front Streets. The plan was to eventually add more restaurants in coming months, though the expansion appears to have taken place in a matter of weeks, according to restaurants. > > > The company has emphasized in previous statements that the robots, manufactured by Avride, are not meant to replace humans. The robots can operate up to a two-mile radius, keeping a charge for up to 12 hours. In Philadelphia, the 12th city where the Uber Eats bots have been deployed, they are allowed to operate from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, robotaxis, Waymo, and gig worker accidents and injuries. Consultations are always free.