Tesla just announced it's launching its Robotaxi service in Orlando and Tampa, posting service area maps right ahead of its Q2 earnings call. However, the company shared no details on fleet size or immediate rider availability. With trackers showing barely 21 unsupervised cars in Texas, the reality of the rollout still lags far behind Elon Musk's bold predictions.
Waymo just suspended freeway driving across all its US markets over construction zone safety concerns, while also pausing service in Atlanta and San Antonio following flooded-road issues. The pullback comes right after a fleet-wide software recall for speeding through flooded streets in Texas. Local road service continues, but highway trips are offline indefinitely.
Google just connected Project Genie to Street View imagery, letting users and AI agents turn real-world coordinates into playable, stylized simulations like an underwater Golden Gate Bridge. It is a huge step for training embodied AI and robotics in grounded virtual worlds. The prototype is now rolling out to Google AI Ultra subscribers at $200 a month.
Waymo just kicked off fully autonomous operations with its 6th-generation Driver on the Ojai platform. The revamped hardware relies on custom silicon to cut the camera count by more than half, slashes lidar expenses, and boosts perception in harsh winter conditions. Rides are currently limited to employees and their guests, with public access coming soon.
Waymo just had to temporarily suspend its ride-hailing fleet after a massive San Francisco power outage left autonomous SUVs stranded across city streets. The blackout knocked out traffic lights and choked cellular bandwidth, leaving vehicles unable to reach human remote operators for guidance. The incident highlights how fragile autonomous fleets remain when the basic utility grid goes dark.
Amazon's Zoox just launched free robotaxi rides in San Francisco, letting waitlisted passengers hail its steering-wheel-free vehicles across select neighborhoods. The expansion comes three months after its Las Vegas debut, as Zoox waits on California regulatory approval to charge fares. Why it matters: Waymo finally faces a well-funded big-tech challenger in its own backyard.
Waymo just began rolling out freeway trips for its driverless robotaxis across Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, while expanding service to San Jose International Airport. Freeway routing can cut travel times by up to 50%, with vehicles relying on redundant backup computers if hardware fails at high speeds. Why it matters: Mastering highways and airports is critical if Waymo wants to genuinely compete with Uber and turn a profit.
Amazon's Zoox just opened a 220,000-square-foot facility in Hayward capable of building over 10,000 robotaxis annually. The custom vehicles ditch steering wheels and pedals entirely, with plans to launch commercial rides in Las Vegas later this year. While it still trails Waymo by millions of rides, dedicated mass manufacturing turns up the heat on rivals.
Waymo just announced plans to launch its Waymo One driverless ridehailing service in Washington, DC by 2026. The major roadblock is local law, which currently requires a human behind the wheel for testing and bans driverless commercial operations entirely. If regulators clear the way, the fleet—which already logs 200,000 paid rides weekly—will roll directly into the nation's capital.
Uber and Waymo just launched autonomous rides in Austin, Texas, giving Uber riders a chance to get picked up by an all-electric Jaguar I-PACE with no human driver behind the wheel. The ride comes at no extra cost, and passengers can easily opt in or out. It plants robotaxis right in Tesla's home territory ahead of its own planned rollout.
Waymo just scrapped its waitlist in Los Angeles, opening up 24/7 driverless rides to anyone with the Waymo One app. The service spans nearly 80 square miles across Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and Downtown LA. It marks Waymo's second fully public metro rollout after San Francisco, pulling ahead while rivals like Cruise and Zoox play catch-up.
California Governor Gavin Newsom just signed AB 1777 into law, requiring autonomous vehicle makers to provide hotlines for first responders and letting police ticket driverless cars. At the same time, he vetoed a proposed ban on driverless trucks and a strict crash-reporting bill, keeping the state open to testing heavy-duty self-driving vehicles.
A Phoenix police officer just pulled over a Waymo robotaxi for driving into oncoming traffic, only to find the driver's seat completely empty. The officer was unable to issue a citation, writing in dispatch logs that they were "unable to issue citation to computer." Waymo blamed confusing construction signage, spotlighting a bizarre legal loophole for driverless vehicles.
Uber and Waymo just launched autonomous food delivery across the Phoenix metro area using Waymo's self-driving cars. Uber Eats customers within the 225-square-mile zone may be matched with an autonomous vehicle, with instructions to unlock the trunk using their phone—though they can still opt for a human courier at checkout.
California regulators just gave Waymo permission to expand its driverless robotaxi service to highways in Los Angeles and the Bay Area at speeds up to 65 mph. The approval brushes aside objections from local transport agencies over recent safety scares, though Waymo says it has no immediate plans to send cars onto the highway right away.
Uber just rolled out Waymo driverless vehicles to passengers in Metro Phoenix. Riders booking UberX or Uber Comfort can now get matched with a fully autonomous Waymo vehicle without needing a separate app. The launch comes right as competitor Cruise suffers a permit suspension, giving Waymo a massive distribution boost.
Cruise just hit another roadblock in San Francisco after one of its driverless robotaxis collided with an active fire truck late Thursday, sending an injured passenger to the hospital. Cruise claims the car entered the intersection on a green light, though the fire department was responding to an emergency call. Why it matters: The crash comes less than a week after regulators approved 24/7 paid robotaxi rides across the city, escalating a brewing feud with local emergency officials.
