By MDBayNews Staff
As Maryland lawmakers debate whether to open the state’s roads to fully autonomous vehicles, a Silicon Valley tech company pushing hardest for the change has already written checks to the governor’s campaign.
Campaign finance filings show that Waymo, the self-driving vehicle company owned by Alphabet Inc., made two maximum-limit contributions to the reelection campaign of Wes Moore in 2025 while preparing its expansion into Baltimore.
Records from the Maryland State Board of Elections show:
| Date | Contributor | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 12, 2025 | Waymo LLC (CA) | $6,000 | Monetary – Check |
| July 16, 2025 | Waymo LLC (CA) | $6,000 | Monetary – Check |
| July 18, 2025 | Waymo LLC | $6,000 | Monetary – Return |
The filings show one of the July contributions was later returned, leaving $6,000 retained by the Moore campaign.
The donations came months before Waymo publicly announced plans to deploy vehicles in Baltimore and began lobbying the Maryland General Assembly to legalize fully autonomous vehicles statewide.
The sequence highlights a familiar dynamic in Annapolis politics: corporations seeking regulatory approval often build relationships with powerful political figures long before legislation reaches the floor.
Waymo’s Baltimore Expansion
Waymo is currently mapping Baltimore streets using a fleet of test vehicles equipped with cameras, lidar sensors, and radar systems.
The cars presently have human safety drivers, but the company’s ultimate goal is to launch fully autonomous ride-hailing services, similar to operations already running in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
Baltimore is part of Waymo’s broader expansion into more than 20 cities nationwide.
However, Maryland law currently does not allow fully driverless vehicles without explicit authorization from the state legislature.
That means Waymo’s expansion hinges on pending legislation in Annapolis.
One proposal under consideration is Maryland Senate Bill 909, which would establish a regulatory framework allowing autonomous vehicle companies to operate driverless fleets.
Waymo representatives testified before lawmakers in early March in support of the legislation and even brought a driverless Jaguar demonstration vehicle to Annapolis.
The company has also registered as a lobbyist in Maryland and has been meeting with lawmakers and regulators about the proposed rollout.
A Familiar Pattern in State Politics
Campaign contributions from companies with legislative interests are legal in Maryland and routine in Annapolis.
Still, the timing of Waymo’s donations raises questions.
The contributions occurred months before the company publicly announced its Baltimore expansion in December 2025, when it began mapping city streets and ramping up its lobbying efforts.
For critics, that sequence reflects a broader problem with the relationship between government and large technology companies.
Silicon Valley firms increasingly seek state-by-state approvals for emerging technologies—from autonomous vehicles to artificial intelligence systems—while investing heavily in political relationships along the way.
Maryland is no exception.
Governor Moore has publicly embraced autonomous vehicle technology as part of his administration’s push to position Maryland as a hub for innovation and advanced technology.
Supporters argue that attracting companies like Waymo could bring economic development and improve transportation safety.
Skeptics, however, warn that policymakers should carefully scrutinize corporate influence when shaping new regulatory frameworks.
Labor and Safety Concerns
While legislative hearings on autonomous vehicle bills have drawn relatively little opposition, some groups are sounding alarms.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has raised concerns about potential job losses if driverless taxis replace human drivers.
Transportation workers across the country are closely watching the technology, which could reshape entire industries ranging from ride-hailing to trucking.
Safety questions also remain.
Waymo claims its autonomous systems reduce serious injury crashes by roughly 90 percent compared with human drivers.
But critics note that autonomous vehicles have also been involved in high-profile incidents in other cities, including traffic disruptions and emergency response complications.
Baltimore’s dense streets, aging infrastructure, and unpredictable traffic patterns could present unique challenges.
Baltimore as a Test Case
Waymo has emphasized outreach to local organizations as part of its rollout strategy, including collaboration with the National Federation of the Blind, which is headquartered in Baltimore and has advocated for improved transportation accessibility.
The company says autonomous vehicles could provide safer and more reliable mobility options for people who cannot drive.
Still, Maryland lawmakers must decide whether the potential benefits outweigh the risks.
If legislation passes during the current General Assembly session, Waymo could begin phased deployment in Baltimore, first with safety specialists onboard and eventually with fully driverless vehicles.
Technology, Money, and Power
Waymo’s campaign contributions do not violate Maryland law, and there is no evidence they directly influenced legislative decisions.
But they illustrate how quickly powerful technology companies are moving to shape policy in states where they hope to expand.
Baltimore may soon become one of the first East Coast cities where driverless taxis operate at scale.
Whether that future arrives because of technological progress—or because Silicon Valley successfully navigated Annapolis politics—may ultimately depend on decisions lawmakers make in the months ahead.
For now, the cars mapping Baltimore streets still have human drivers behind the wheel.
But the politics behind them are already running at full speed.
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