ROBOTAXIS
TESLA’S ROBOTAXI DREAM TAKES FIRST RIDES IN AUSTIN, BUT ‘UNANSWERED QUESTIONS’ LINGER
A decade after CEO Elon Musk first made ambitious promises about fully autonomous vehicles, Tesla has finally launched its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas. Driverless 2025 Model Y SUVs, operating on what Musk calls a new, “unsupervised” version of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software, began ferrying select passengers for a flat fee of $4.20 on June 22. This rollout marks a significant test for Musk’s controversial vision of deploying self-driving technology using solely cameras and end-to- end AI, a strategy that sets Tesla apart from competitors such as
Waymo, which integrate additional sensors such as LiDAR. The service is slated to operate daily from 6am to 12am, though “may be limited or unavailable in the event of inclement weather.” Notably, despite the “driverless” billing, a Tesla employee will occupy the front passenger seat as a “safety monitor.” The precise role and intervention capabilities of these monitors remain unclear, raising questions about the true level of autonomy in this initial commercial phase. Historically, other AV companies have utilised human safety
operators during testing, not commercial operations. The robotaxi service is starting small, as confirmed by Musk, with an initial fleet of around ten vehicles confined to a narrowly defined area of South Austin. While Tesla has provided basic information on its robotaxi page, including app usage and lost item procedures, it “still glosses over the kind of specifics that Waymo has historically provided.” The launch represents a pivotal moment for Tesla as it seeks to finally deliver on its long-standing autonomous driving ambitions.
AMAZON’S ZOOX ACCELERATES ROBOTAXI PRODUCTION, TARGETS 10K UNITS ANNUALLY BY 2027
Amazon is making a significant push into the burgeoning AV market,
announcing plans to
produce up to 10,000 robotaxis annually by 2027 at its new 220,000-square-foot Zoox factory near Silicon Valley. This ambitious move signals a direct challenge to Waymo’s estab- lished dominance and intensifies the race as Tesla also vies for a slice of the self-driving taxi industry. The production facility, unveiled on June 18, marks a pivotal step in Amazon’s long-term investment in pioneering vehicle technology, an effort that dates back to 2009 when rival Waymo began its secretive work within Google. Amazon cemented its entry into the self-driving cab business five years ago with a $1.2 billion investment in startup Zoox. Zoox
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aims to launch its commercial ride-hailing service in Las Vegas later in 2025, with plans to expand to San Francisco thereafter. The company’s unique, carriage- like vehicles, designed with seating for up to four people and no steering wheel or pedals, aim to differentiate themselves from Waymo’s offerings, which typically integrate self-driving technology into traditional car models from established automakers. While Zoox currently produces only one robotaxi per day at its high-tech Hayward facility, officials stated their ambition to scale up to three vehicles per hour in the future. By 2027, the company anticipates manufacturing 10,000 robotaxis annually to support a growing fleet across major cities. Waymo, a subsidiary of Google’s
parent company Alphabet, has a considerable head start, having launched robotaxis in Phoenix nearly five years ago and charging riders in San Francisco since 2023. The company has since expanded to LA and Austin, reporting over 10 million paid rides. Waymo also announced plans to begin testing its robotaxis in New York City and expects to expand operations to Atlanta and Miami. As competition heats up, the focus remains on mass production and scaling operations to meet the demands of an expansive robotaxi fleet. Amazon believes its new plant, spanning the equivalent of 3.5 football fields, is the answer to this manufacturing challenge, positioning Zoox as a major player in the evolving landscape of urban autonomous transportation.
JULY 2025 PHTM
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