Los Angeles, CA – Consumer Watchdog Campaign published a Consumer Alert video warning California voters that a reason Uber is pushing a ballot measure to limit innocent accident victims’ rights to medical recovery and representation is that it plans to bring back its deadly self-driving robotaxi.
Video of an Uber self-driving car running over a pedestrian walking his bicycle shook the nation in 2018 and was believed to be the first death from a self-driving car. Uber discontinued its self-driving car program at the time, but plans to revive it in late 2026, coinciding with a vote on its proposed ballot measure to limit accident victims’ rights to recovery and to contingency fee representation.
The Consumer Alert video calls the ballot measure “a license to kill” because it takes away Californians’ right to hold Uber, or any reckless driver, accountable for injuries they cause and warns voters not to be fooled into signing the ballot measure petition. The petition needs to collect 546,650 valid signatures to qualify for the November 2026 ballot.
“This initiative is a cynical ploy to take away Californians’ legal rights just as the Uber will be deploying dangerous new technology on California roads,” said Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog. “Uber is a reckless company and its proposed ballot measure will allow it to evade accountability for injuries its robotaxis could cause.”
The Consumer Alert video shows the video of the Uber self driving car killing the Arizona pedestrian and warns: “Uber is preparing for a future where it can deploy is self-driving robotaxis without legal accountability for its recklessness because you won’t have access to an attorney or medical recovery. It’s a license to kill. Don’t sign away your rights to hold Uber, or any other reckless driver, accountable for the injuries they cause.”
Court noted that unlike other companies that have invested significant resources, time and testing for their robotaxis, Uber is coming late to the game. In addition, Uber is notorious for its cost cutting and is not likely to invest in the best Lidar technology to make its cars as safe as possible. Uber said it would partner with Lucid on its vehicles.
