1、Robotaxis Arent Coming,Theyre HereA PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR CITIES TO GET STARTEDFEBRUARY 2026 Responding to an escalating challenge on city streets Robotaxis are here,and cities are the current and future testing and deployment grounds of this new technology.Company narratives promote robotaxis as a mi

2、raculous remedy to the traffic-safety crisis on U.S.streets and a transformative mobility option,particularly for people with disabilities.While cities are cautiously optimistic about these promises in the long term,robotaxi operations are already taxing cities transportation networks and have yet t

3、o come close to meeting these lofty promises.Under current regulatory frameworks,city officials have fewif anytools to guide these companies operations according to city goals.Further,city staff rarely have access to data to understand the repercussions of robotaxis on the transportation network,inc

4、luding impacts to congestion and the safety of those inside and outside the vehicle.To continue providing an effective,safe,multimodal transportation system for people and goods,cities must prepare now for robotaxi operations.As cities have learned from previous arrivals of new technologies,such as

5、ride-hail companies and free-floating bikes and scooters,it is necessary to properly manage these new services through regulation,partnerships,and open communication with service providers,government staff,and stakeholders.Defining Robotaxis Autonomous vehicles come in many forms,from freight and pe

6、rsonal delivery vehicles to sidewalk robots and personal cars.To date,the most extensive and significant investment and impact of autonomous vehicles has been the rapidly expanding,large-scale testing and deployment of fleets of for-hire autonomous vehicles(robotaxis).These services operate similarl