October 29, 2026
Molly McVety/PhillyVoice
A new City Council proposal would tax companies operating delivery robots and driverless vehicles in Philly.
Uber Eats robots and Waymo driverless taxis would face a new tax under a proposal introduced Thursday in City Council.
The fee would apply to companies that own, operate and sell services that are done by devices instead of human workers — from sidewalk robots making food deliveries to automated vehicles dropping off freight.
The legislation, introduced by Councilmember Jim Harrity (D-At-Large), calls for a 5% tax on the gross cost or $0.50 tax — whichever is greater — for delivery services and 5% or $1 for transportation services such as robotaxis. Autonomous vehicles carrying freight would be taxed at a rate of 3%, based on the number of miles traveled within the city. However, those rates could be adjusted as the legislation is considered in committee.
Harrity said the bill is meant to offset losses the city faces from both the wage tax and the business income and receipts tax due to these emerging technologies. He noted that the proposed tax only applies to robots being used in lieu of a person — thus protecting human jobs.
"This isn't about tax, this is about keeping jobs that my neighbors are doing right now," Harrity said during Thursday's City Council meeting.
Avride, the company that operates delivery robots, rolled out its AI-powered devices in Philadelphia for Uber Eats in March. Last week, it announced that it will be expanding its partnership with Grubhub and start delivering orders from Wonder food hall, as well.
While Waymo has been testing in Philadelphia since July 2025, its driverless services are not yet permitted in the city. In May, Harrity hosted a City Council hearing on the safety and labor costs of autonomous drivers, but Waymo declined to attend and sent written testimony. The company has yet to offer a timeline on when it will be operating driverless in Philadelphia.
If approved, the tax revenue would go toward the Zero Fare Program, which offers free SEPTA rides to low-income residents. That program was established during former Mayor Jim Kenney's administration, but it does not have permanent funding.
Last week, Councilmember Nicolas O'Rourke proposed setting aside 0.5% of the city's general fund to pay for Zero Fare and other transportation affordability programs.
