Weekly Roundup: Rideshare Drivers Protest Waymo Robotaxis in San Francisco as Safety Concerns Mount

Rideshare drivers protest Waymo robotaxis as safety concerns mount in San Francisco. NYC alleges DoorDash and Uber cost workers $550 million in stolen tips. Uber tries to expand in Japan. DoorDash bans driver who used AI-generated photo to fake delivery. Lyft CEO pledges to lead industry by reducing “enshittification” in 2026. We break it all down for you.

Rideshare Drivers Protest Waymo Robotaxis in San Francisco as Safety Concerns Mount

Source: AP News

About two dozen Lyft and Uber drivers gathered outside California Public Utilities Commission offices on January 9 to protest Waymo’s robotaxis, demanding stricter oversight following incidents where robotaxis killed pets and blocked traffic. The California Gig Workers Union is calling for robotaxis to be removed from streets until safety concerns are addressed, while protesters argue autonomous vehicle companies aren’t held to the same standards as human drivers.

• A driver participating in the protests, Joseph Augusto, said, “I personally am not against technology; what I am against is unfair treatment”

• In October, a Waymo vehicle killed a beloved neighborhood cat named Kit Kat, and in September, a Waymo made a dangerous, illegal U-turn in San Bruno, but couldn’t be ticketed due to the absence of a human driver.

• The California Public Utilities Commission, which also regulates human-driven Uber and Lyft trips in the state, is currently refining and expanding policies around robotaxis as the industry continues to grow.

Lyft CEO David Risher Outlines 2026 Vision: Less ‘Enshittification,’ More Growth

Source: David Risher on LinkedIn

Lyft CEO David Risher published his 2026 resolutions on LinkedIn, pledging to make Lyft the industry leader by reducing “rideshare enshittification,” pursuing ambitious growth into Europe, expanding premium Black car services, and expanding Lyft’s robotaxi network. Risher committed to convincing skeptical investors by executing on Lyft’s 2024 targets of $25 billion in gross bookings, 4% adjusted EBITDA margin, and generating over $1 billion in cash.

• Risher acknowledged that while Lyft has made progress on reducing platform degradation, “we’ve still got a ways to go” in improving the overall rideshare experience.

• The company plans to expand Lyft Ads to create more brand partnership opportunities and generate additional business value beyond core ride-hailing revenue.

• Risher emphasized that robotaxis represent a “huge boost” for the industry and that Lyft is well-positioned to create “the leading hybrid network” combining human and autonomous drivers.

Uber CEO Visits Rural Japan in Push to Expand Beyond Major Cities

Source: The New York Times

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi traveled to Kaga, a small hot-springs town in western Japan, in December to personally experience the company’s new rural rideshare service, driven by local residents. Japan began allowing peer-to-peer rideshare in select rural areas in 2024 after more than a decade of restricting Uber to only hailing licensed taxis, with demographic pressures and driver shortages forcing regulatory changes. Monthly rides in Kaga have tripled from 100 to over 300 since Uber launched operations there, though many elderly residents still struggle with smartphone technology.

• Japan’s rural population of about 60,000 in areas like Kaga is declining while the elderly demographic swells, with older residents surrendering driver’s licenses and facing taxi and bus systems plagued by driver shortages.

• Uber generates nearly half its revenue outside the United States and Canada, up from 38% in 2022, but Japan has remained one of the most challenging markets due to strict regulations.

• Local officials are conducting grassroots outreach through seminars at municipal offices to teach elderly residents how to use the Uber app, with promotional materials visible throughout the city.

NYC Regulators Allege DoorDash and Uber Eats Cost Workers $550 Million in Lost Tips

Source: NewsNation

The New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection accused DoorDash and Uber Eats of using “user experience design tricks” to make it harder for customers to tip delivery drivers, costing workers more than $550 million over the past two years. The DCWP claims the apps moved tipping to after checkout in retaliation against minimum wage rules for delivery drivers that took effect in December 2023. Both companies are now suing the city to block a new law taking effect January 26 that would require apps to allow pre-checkout tipping with a default rate of at least 10%.

• DoorDash defended the change, stating that post-checkout tipping “isn’t novel or nefarious” and that the DCWP actually suggested this approach in their 2022 study before attacking them for implementing it.

• Drivers working for GrubHub, which permits tipping before checkout, receive an average tip of $2.17, highlighting the disparity created by different tipping interfaces.

• DoorDash and Uber Eats argue the new regulations violate their free speech rights by compelling them to convey a government-mandated message, with a federal judge yet to rule on their request for an injunction.

DoorDash Driver Banned After Using AI-Generated Photo to Fake Delivery

Source: TechCrunch

DoorDash permanently banned a driver who allegedly used an AI-generated image to falsely claim they completed a delivery in Austin, Texas, marking a concerning new fraud tactic in the gig economy. Austin resident Byrne Hobart posted on X that a driver immediately marked his order as delivered and submitted an AI-generated photo of a DoorDash order at his front door instead of making the actual delivery. DoorDash confirmed the incident to TechCrunch, stating they have “zero tolerance for fraud” and use technology and human review to detect bad actors, while ensuring the customer was made whole.

• This appears to be a growing issue on the platform, with another user commenting on Hobart’s post that the same thing happened to them in Austin with the same driver display name, suggesting a pattern of fraudulent behavior.

• Hobart speculated the driver used a hacked account on a jailbroken phone and may have obtained an image of his front door through DoorDash’s feature that shows photos from prior deliveries, then used AI to generate a fake delivery confirmation photo.

• The incident highlights emerging security vulnerabilities in delivery platforms as bad actors leverage AI technology to commit fraud, raising questions about the effectiveness of current photo verification systems designed to protect both customers and honest drivers.

QUICK HITS

• RSG Contributor Jeff breaks down how knowing your market, timing turbos, and using Lyft’s own tools turned a $57 reserved ride into $135 without breaking the rules. – RSG YouTube

• In his Changing Lanes Substack newsletter, Andrew Miller argues that Uber has evolved from a subsidy-fueled “bezzle” into a profit-focused mobility giant by hiking prices, squeezing drivers, influencing regulation, and ditching money-losing bets, defying earlier predictions that its model would inevitably collapse. – Substack

• India is telling delivery companies to stop promising 10 minute delivery times. – Financial Times

• Rideshare workers were affected by Verizon’s recent outage. – WJAR

• Want to learn more about the robotaxi industry? Subscribe to The Driverless Digest, our new newsletter and podcast dedicated to the future of autonomous vehicles.

Must Listen Or Watch RSG Content

Here are this week’s featured podcast episode and YouTube videos:

• RSG268: Uber’s NEXT Big Move? Taxis!

• Top 5 Passengers Every Uber Driver Dreads

• Uber Eats & DoorDash Must Pay Full Refunds Now

• Play Octopus Goes Uber-Only (What Drivers Need to Know)

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