Fisher Phillips Attorney Explores Recent Developments in Taxing Automated Technology

In his bylined article for Law360, Sacramento attorney Benjamin Ebbink discusses the struggles elected officials and policymakers face as they figure out how to respond to employment challenges posed by the adoption of autonomous vehicles. Ben explores the efforts proposed by tech industry giants to institute a tax directly on “robots” or capital gains earned through automated technology. In California, specifically, this “robot tax” took a step closer to becoming a reality when Gov. Jerry Brown signed the Assembly Bill 1184, which authorizes the city and county of San Francisco to impose a tax on each ride originating from San Francisco provided by an automated vehicle. With similar legislation at the forefront of discussions across the U.S., Ben advises that employers intending to take advantage of automated technology be mindful of the potential tax policies that may make automation economically unfavorable.

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