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Waymo Expands Autonomous Operations
Waymo has announced the launch of fully autonomous driving services in five new U.S. cities: Miami, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando, bringing its total operational cities to 10. The expansion began this week in Miami, with operations set to start in the other cities in the coming weeks, although rider service will not be available until next year. Waymo has successfully completed over 10 million driverless trips to date.
Tesla’s Robotaxi Plans
In comparison, Tesla is testing approximately 30 robotaxis in Austin, Texas, with plans to scale to 500 by year-end. Tesla aims to transition to a fully driverless model by the end of the year but currently still employs a safety monitor, unlike Waymo, which removed its safety monitor in 2020. Despite these developments, Tesla’s total fleet will lag behind Waymo’s extensive operations, which include at least 400 autonomous vehicles in Phoenix, Arizona.
Market Context
Tesla’s stock has seen a 28% increase over the past three months amidst investor optimism centered around AI and robotics, despite declining sales and an aging vehicle lineup. Investors face uncertainty with evolving regulations and safety concerns in the autonomous driving space.
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