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Freakonomics Radio

In a Driverless World, Who Loses and Who Wins?

March 25, 2026 • 1h 5m

Summary

⏱️ 14 min read

Overview

This two-part series examines the controversial arrival of autonomous vehicles, particularly Waymo's robo-taxis, in Boston—a staunchly pro-union city. The story follows multiple perspectives: Uber driver Abdi Aziz who witnessed tech companies disrupt his industry twice, disability advocate Carl Richardson fighting for transportation independence, and politicians wrestling with the tension between protecting jobs and embracing safer technology. Through contentious city council hearings, the episode explores the complex trade-offs between technological progress, worker displacement, accessibility needs, and public safety.

The Evolution of a Driver: Abdi Aziz's Journey

Abdi Aziz, a 30-year veteran of Boston's transportation industry, witnessed the transformation of his profession firsthand. When Uber arrived in 2011, he immediately recognized it as a threat to the taxi medallion system but pragmatically decided to join rather than fight. He became one of Uber's first recruiters and drivers in Boston, handing out 200 iPhones weekly to new drivers. However, after Uber achieved market dominance, the company changed its payment structure in 2022, significantly reducing driver earnings and prompting Abdi Aziz to help organize a drivers' union.

  • Abdi Aziz has been driving professionally for 30 years, including 10 years with a limo service and 5 years as a taxi driver
  • When Uber arrived in 2011 at Logan Airport, Abdi Aziz immediately recognized they came to 'kill this business'
  • He became an Uber recruiter, distributing 200 phones weekly to new drivers and helping sign them up
  • In 2022, Uber changed to variable rates using algorithms, which drivers believe significantly increased Uber's take beyond the claimed 20%
  • Abdi Aziz began recruiting drivers for a union effort, seeing parallels to his earlier work recruiting for Uber
" At the time, I say, it is good, but you didn't come here to help us. You come here to kill this business. "
" If you cannot beat them, join them, you know. So I'm going to join them. "
" When Uber came, their aim was to kill taxi business. Now Waymo is to kill the drivers. "

Boston's Union Town Identity and First Hearing

Boston city councilors held hearings to evaluate—and potentially ban—Waymo's autonomous vehicles. The first hearing in July 2024 was dominated by union voices, particularly the Teamsters and the newly forming App Drivers Union. Politicians and workers repeatedly emphasized Boston's identity as a "union town" and argued that Waymo threatened not just ride-share jobs but represented the leading edge of automation displacing working-class employment. The hearing focused almost exclusively on job protection, with minimal discussion of safety or accessibility benefits.

  • The first city council hearing in July focused on evaluating autonomous vehicle operations in Boston
  • Boston has narrow one-way streets, alleys, and lacks a traditional grid system, making it difficult to navigate
  • The App Drivers Union had just won the right to unionize and saw robot cars as threatening this progress
  • Labor United Against Waymo was formed, including Teamsters and multiple driver unions
  • Every city councilor repeatedly stated that 'Boston is a union town' as the foundational principle for the debate
" Robot cars threaten all of this progress. "
" I understand it is a business, it is capitalism, but not in my city at the expense of our jobs. "
" A few days ago, while on my route, I spotted a man collapse on the ground. He was unconscious and unresponsive. I stayed with him, flagged down a homeowner who called 911. To me, a person, to Waymo, an obstacle to avoid. "

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