Philadelphia’s delivery robots and driverless taxis could soon come with a tax attached.
A proposal introduced Thursday in City Council would charge companies that replace human workers with machines, from sidewalk robots carrying food orders to automated vehicles hauling freight. The bill comes from Councilmember Jim Harrity, Democrat at large.
Under the proposal, delivery services run by robots would face a 5 percent tax on the gross cost or 50 cents, whichever is greater. Transportation services such as robotaxis would face 5 percent or $1. Autonomous vehicles carrying freight would be taxed at 3 percent, based on miles traveled within the city. Those rates could change as the legislation moves through committee.
Harrity said the bill is meant to make up for money the city loses from the wage tax and the business income and receipts tax as these technologies spread. The tax would only apply to robots used in place of a person.
“This isn’t about tax, this is about keeping jobs that my neighbors are doing right now,” Harrity said during Thursday’s Council meeting.
The robots are already on Philadelphia sidewalks. Avride, the company behind the delivery robots, rolled out its devices in Philadelphia for Uber Eats in March. Waymo has been testing its driverless technology in Philadelphia since July 2025, but its driverless services are not yet permitted in the city.
If the bill is approved, the tax revenue would go toward the Zero Fare Program, which offers free SEPTA rides to low-income residents. Last week, Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke proposed setting aside 0.5 percent of the city’s general fund to pay for Zero Fare and other transportation affordability programs.
The proposal is only an introduction so far. No committee vote or Council vote has taken place, and no effective date has been set.
