At least in NYC, nearly all of these have corresponding taxes, levies, or outright bans. For example, the city charges additional taxes against both taxi operat

At least in NYC, nearly all of these have corresponding taxes, levies, or outright bans. For example, the city charges additional taxes against both taxi operators and riders to compensate the public for the congestion they induce[1]. Similarly, 53’ trailers are outright illegal in NYC (because they destroy the road surface, as you mentioned, and can’t navigate the city safety). Enforcement is currently poor, however. The point is this: using city streets to trial-run experimental technology is something new and distinct, and it isn’t immediately clear to me why the public shouldn’t be compensated for the bother. [1]: https://www.tax.ny.gov/bus/cs/csidx.htm https://www.tax.ny.gov/bus/cs/csidx.htm