Waymo is asking the DC public to put pressure on their city officials

Waymo needs some help, according to an email the self-driving developer sent to Washington, DC residents on Thursday.

For more than a year, Waymo you were city ​​officials pressure passing new regulations that she allows robots to work in the district. So far, self-driving cars can test in the city with humans behind the wheel, but cannot operate in driver-free mode. The Alphabet subsidiary — and its lobbyists — have asked local lawmakers, including Mayor Muriel Bower and members of the City Council, to create new rules that allow the technology to go truly driverless on its public roads. The company previously said it would begin offering driverless rides in DC this year.

But Waymo’s efforts to sway officials have stalled, so the company is now asking residents to apply pressure. “We’re almost ready to provide public Waymo rides to everyone in DC,” says an email sent to those who signed up for Waymo’s DC service. “However, despite considerable support, the district leadership has not yet provided the necessary approvals for us to begin.”

The email advises recipients to contact DC officials via a form letter that says in part: “Over the past year, I have observed Waymo vehicles operating throughout our local areas, and I am excited about the potential benefits this service can provide, including improved accessibility and in traffic-related incidents.” The communication urges DC residents to edit the letter to “use your own words” because personalized messages “have a greater impact.” Only DC residents or those with DC addresses can participate, Waymo says.

In a written statement, Waymo spokesman Ethan Teicher said, “We will be ready to serve Washington residents this year, and urge the mayor, the county Department of Transportation and the City Council to take action.” The company says that 1,500 people contacted district leaders through their email in the first 90 minutes after it was sent.

In general, self-driving vehicle developers have only introduced service in places where regulations clearly outline how the technology can hit the roads. Other US cities with Waymo service, including those in California, Floridaand Texasalready had those rules in place before the company entered their markets. But as Waymo’s ambitions grew, it began targeting large blue-state cities where autonomous vehicle technology doesn’t yet have a “driver’s license.” Earlier this month, the company said it would begin testing in Boston, where city lawmakers last year pushed for an ordinance that would ban self-driving taxis from operating without a human behind the wheel. Waymo you said that it needs Massachusetts approval to “legalize fully autonomous vehicles” before it can begin service in Boston.

Ultimately, self-driving developers hope that the US Congress will pass a law allowing the broader testing and operation of their technology across the US. On Tuesday, a House Committee a Bill which would order the federal government to create safety standards for autonomous vehicles, and prevent states from passing their own laws banning the sale or use of the technology, or requiring companies to submit information about accidents.

Waymo’s new DC print campaign echo those launched by transportation disruptors including ride-hailing giant Uber and bike and scooter sharing company Birdalmost a decade ago. Like self-driving technology developers, those companies wanted to launch their new services in places where the rules didn’t match their business ambitions. Ultimately, Uber and Lyft have generally succeeded in getting laws passed in US state houses that allow their services to operate on public roads — and prevent cities from creating their own laws.

Today, Waymo operates in six US metro areas—Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix and the San Francisco Bay Area—and plans to launch in more than 10 this year. Three other companies, including Nuro and Zoox owned by Amazonhas permits to test self-driving technology in Washington, DC.