Waymo

Tesla will host an invitation-only Cybercab event in Austin, Texas on September 3, 2026, showcasing a fully autonomous two-seater with no steering wheel or pedals. The event follows pilot production at Gigafactory Texas and over 380,000 unsupervised miles from its Austin Robotaxi service. Tesla shares rose 5.5% on Monday, capping an 18% August gain, though the stock remains down 18% year-to-date. The company faces competition from Waymo and regulatory hurdles, but recently gained approval for a limited robotaxi rollout in Nevada.

17 reports · 11 sources · Updated Sep 4, 10:15 AM UTC

Amazon-owned Zoox received a two-year NHTSA exemption to commercially deploy up to 2,500 purpose-built, steering wheel-less robotaxis annually, starting paid rides in Las Vegas next month. The Trump administration’s deregulatory push aims to remove federal mandates for driver controls and develop national AV safety standards. Supporters include disability and safety groups, while critics cite insufficient testing, regulatory capture risks, and union opposition. Zoox previously offered free rides and recalled 105 vehicles over a smoke-detection software issue.

6 reports · 4 sources · Updated Aug 2, 10:30 PM UTC

This Wall Street Breakfast podcast summary covers three major business stories. Waymo, Google's autonomous vehicle unit, has accumulated $9,325 in parking fines in Austin, Texas, since launching its robotaxi service in 2024, receiving 83 citations primarily for parking in tow-away zones. Nvidia announced a $1 billion investment for a 4.5% stake in South Korea's Naver, tied to expanding Naver's AI factory to 200 megawatts by 2028, with Brookfield potentially providing up to $9 billion in financing. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby approached Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian about a potential merger last year, but preliminary discussions ended without progressing; a deal would have combined the two most valuable U.S. airlines.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 27, 10:55 AM UTC

Alphabet's Waymo is reportedly considering ending its robotaxi partnership with Uber, as tensions escalate over operations in Austin and Atlanta and over autonomous vehicle regulation. According to the Financial Times, Waymo has internally discussed leaving existing agreements. Uber stated Waymo intends to enter Austin and Atlanta independently from January 2028, when the current contract allows, though Uber expects to continue offering Waymo services until May 2028. The partnership, which began in May 2023 in Phoenix, has soured as both companies become closer rivals and support different regulatory approaches. Complaints have been exchanged over vehicle cleanliness, routing, safety incidents (including Waymo vehicles blocking a cul-de-sac in Atlanta and driving past stopped school buses in Austin), and financial terms. Waymo has expanded in other US markets without Uber and plans direct bookings in Austin and Atlanta alongside Uber. Waymo recently completed a $16bn financing round, valuing the company at $126bn.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 27, 10:53 AM UTC

Tesla expanded its robotaxi service to Orlando and Tampa, Florida, following a launch in Miami earlier in July 2026. The service, using Model Y vehicles via the Tesla Robotaxi app, is now available in seven U.S. cities. The expansion preceded Tesla's Q2 2026 earnings report, which showed a revenue beat ($28.2 billion, up 26% YoY) but an earnings miss ($0.33 per share vs. $0.53 expected). Gross margins slipped to 16.8%, operating expenses rose to $4.3 billion, and free cash flow turned negative at -$1.1 billion. Deliveries rose 25% YoY to 480,126 vehicles, and FSD subscriptions increased 56% to 1.48 million. The article notes competition from Alphabet's Waymo, which launched in Orlando in April 2026. TSLA stock is down 30% year-to-date and trades at high valuation multiples.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 25, 02:00 PM UTC

Uber and Alphabet's Waymo will end their exclusivity arrangement in Atlanta and Austin, Texas, in early 2028. Waymo has notified Uber that it intends to launch its own standalone app in those cities in January 2028, alongside its existing deployment with Uber. The change reflects Waymo's growing traction in the robotaxi market, as its vehicles are now live in nine other US cities. Waymo also struck a non-exclusive deal with Lyft in Nashville last year. Uber shares dropped more than 4% on the news. Uber said hundreds of Waymo robotaxis will remain available on its platform through at least May 2028, the duration of their existing contract. The change allows Uber to put other autonomous vehicles onto its platform in both cities. A Waymo spokesperson said users need choice in how they experience the technology. The Financial Times reported that Waymo held internal discussions about splitting from Uber due to tensions over conflicting policy proposals.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 24, 09:48 PM UTC

Uber and Alphabet's Waymo will end their exclusivity arrangement in Atlanta and Austin, Texas, in early 2028. Waymo has notified Uber that it intends to launch its own standalone app in those cities in January 2028, alongside its existing deployment with Uber. The change reflects Waymo's growing traction in the robotaxi market, as its driverless cars are now live in nine other US markets. Waymo also struck a non-exclusive deal with Lyft in Nashville last year. Uber shares dropped more than 4% on the news. Uber said hundreds of Waymo robotaxis will remain available on its platform through at least May 2028, the duration of their existing contract. The changes allow Uber to put other, non-Waymo autonomous vehicles onto its platform in both cities. Waymo cited the need for user choice in experiencing the technology. The Financial Times reported internal discussions at Waymo about splitting from Uber due to tensions over conflicting policy proposals.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 24, 09:48 PM UTC

Uber and Alphabet's Waymo will end their exclusivity arrangement in Atlanta and Austin, Texas, in early 2028. Waymo will launch its own app in those cities alongside its existing deployment with Uber, reflecting its growing traction in the robotaxi market. Waymo's robotaxis are now live in nine other US markets without exclusive Uber deals. The change allows Uber to put other autonomous vehicles onto its platform in both cities. Waymo cited the need for user choice in experiencing the technology. The Financial Times reported internal tensions between the companies over conflicting policy proposals. Uber shares dropped more than 4% on the news. Uber continues to invest in AV technology from partners like Waabi, Wayve, Nuro, and Rivian.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 24, 09:48 PM UTC

Travis Kalanick, former Uber CEO, announced that his robotics company Atoms raised $1.7 billion in a funding round backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Bain Capital, and Uber. The company, rebranded from City Storage Systems in March 2026, focuses on robotics for mining and transportation. In April, Atoms acquired Pronto, a heavy industry automation firm founded by Anthony Levandowski. Levandowski, a former Google engineer, was convicted in 2020 for stealing 14,000 trade secret files from Google's self-driving car project (Project Chauffeur/Waymo) when he left to start Otto, which Uber later acquired. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison but was pardoned by President Donald Trump on his last day in office in January 2021. The article highlights the controversial reunion of Kalanick and Levandowski, both central figures in Uber's past legal battles with Google over autonomous driving technology.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 24, 12:00 PM UTC

Tesla provided new metrics on its Robotaxi ride-hailing service during its Q2 2025 earnings call. The company reported nearly 2.5 million cumulative paid miles, over 380,000 unsupervised miles driven across six cities, and weekly mileage growth exceeding 10%. Robotaxi is now active in seven US metropolitan regions: Austin, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and San Francisco Bay Area. Tesla claims zero notable incidents from unsupervised operations, though two low-speed crashes occurred with safety monitors present. The company has installed annual manufacturing capacity for over 125,000 Cybercabs at Gigafactory Texas. Tesla also reported 1.48 million paying Full Self-Driving customers, a 56% year-over-year increase. CEO Elon Musk emphasized safety constraints on deployment speed, warning that any injury would trigger regulatory crackdowns. For comparison, Waymo has driven over 200 million fully autonomous miles and operates in 11 US regions.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 23, 02:21 AM UTC

Tesla reported second-quarter deliveries of 480,126 vehicles, beating Wall Street estimates of 406,600 and marking a 25% year-over-year increase. The strong delivery performance boosted Tesla's global BEV market share by 95 basis points and US share to 46.1%. However, investor focus is shifting to Tesla's massive $25 billion capital budget for 2026, funding AI infrastructure and Optimus humanoid robot development. Analysts expect free cash flow to be negative $3.25 billion for the quarter. Bank of America remains bullish with a $460 price target, citing robotaxi expansion to five markets and competitive pricing. Optimus production is targeted for late July or August. However, Swissquote analyst Ipek Ozkardeskaya notes Tesla has spent only $2.5 billion of its budget so far, raising concerns about underspending on key growth drivers amid political controversies and Chinese EV competition. Shares were flat ahead of the earnings report.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 22, 04:13 PM UTC

Tesla is set to report second-quarter 2026 earnings after the bell on Wednesday, with analysts expecting earnings per share of 51 cents and revenue of $25.71 billion, representing 14% growth. The report comes amid a 16% year-to-date stock decline, despite a 25% year-over-year increase in vehicle deliveries to over 480,000 units. The company faces headwinds from Chinese EV competition (BYD, Nio, Xiaomi) and consumer boycotts linked to Elon Musk's political activities. However, soaring gas prices from the U.S.-Iran war have boosted EV sales in Europe. Tesla is pivoting from core auto sales toward driverless Robotaxi services and Optimus humanoid robots, with Musk claiming Optimus could become the company's biggest product. The company lags behind Waymo and Baidu in robotaxis and faces competition in humanoid robotics. Investors will seek updates on robotics, driverless tech, and Tesla-SpaceX collaboration on the Terafab chip factory in Texas.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 22, 04:00 PM UTC

The article analyzes why Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway invested heavily in Alphabet (Google), making it his favorite AI stock. It presents two main reasons for a buy-and-hold strategy. First, AI is turbo-charging Alphabet's existing businesses: Google Search revenue grew 19.1% in Q1 2026 (up from 9.8% a year ago) driven by AI overviews, and Google Cloud revenue surged 63% to $20 billion with operating income tripling to $6.6 billion. Second, Alphabet's full-stack AI ecosystem gives it a competitive edge, integrating Gemini across Chrome, Android, Gmail, and other products, reaching 750 million active users. The company owns YouTube, Waymo, and has unique advantages in models, infrastructure, distribution, and first-party data. The article concludes that Alphabet is a quintessential do-it-all AI stock suitable for long-term investors.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 21, 09:05 AM UTC

Tesla (TSLA) shares are down 17% year-to-date in 2026 ahead of its Q2 earnings report on July 22. Wall Street expects adjusted EPS of $0.50-$0.54 on revenue of $25.7-$25.8 billion, implying 25% EPS growth and 15% revenue growth year-over-year. Options markets are pricing an 8% post-earnings swing. Key focus areas include automotive margins (Q1 was 21%), capital spending ($25B raised from $20B), and autonomy progress. Tesla's Robotaxi service lags Alphabet's Waymo, which now runs 500,000+ fully autonomous rides weekly. Energy storage deployed a record 13.5 GWh in Q2. Polymarket contracts show a 75.5% probability of an EPS beat, though volumes are light. The article also promotes an AI stock list that excludes Tesla.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 20, 07:15 PM UTC

This opinion piece argues that the bearish narrative about Alphabet losing AI talent to competitors like Anthropic and OpenAI is incorrect. The author cites strong financial results, including Q1 2026 revenue of $109.90 billion (up 21.8% YoY) and EPS of $5.11, which crushed estimates. Key evidence includes Google Cloud's 63% growth to $20.03 billion, a backlog nearly doubling to $460 billion, and Gemini processing 16 billion tokens per minute. The article highlights structural advantages like the merged Google Brain and DeepMind unit under Demis Hassabis, multi-billion-dollar retention packages, and proprietary TPU clusters. The author prefers Alphabet over Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta due to its cloud growth, advertising revenue ($77.25B), and 350 million paid subscribers. The primary risk identified is massive capital expenditure ($175-185B in 2026) causing free cash flow to drop 47% year over year.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 19, 04:12 PM UTC

This financial analysis argues that the bearish narrative of Alphabet (Google) losing AI talent to rivals like Anthropic and OpenAI is incorrect. The author's conviction is based on two structural facts: the merger of Google Brain and DeepMind under Demis Hassabis creating a dense concentration of AI PhDs, and multi-billion-dollar retention packages offering access to proprietary TPU clusters. Financial evidence is cited, including Q1 2026 revenue of $109.90 billion (up 21.8% YoY), EPS of $5.11 beating the $2.63 estimate, and Google Cloud growing 63% to $20.03 billion with a backlog of $460 billion. The author prefers Alphabet over Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta due to its cloud growth, advertising revenue, and subscription base. The primary risk identified is massive capital expenditure ($175-185 billion in 2026), which has already caused free cash flow to drop 47% year-over-year.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 19, 04:12 PM UTC

Bank of America has revised its Tesla forecasts upward ahead of the company's second-quarter earnings report on July 22, 2026. The bank raised its 2026 revenue estimate to $107.8 billion from $103.4 billion, and increased EPS estimates for 2026-2028 by 4-7%. BofA reiterated its Buy rating and $460 price target, implying 17.6% upside. The analysts identified robotaxis as the primary catalyst, noting Tesla's expansion to five markets with a Texas fleet of 175 vehicles. However, Tesla fell short of its target of nine cities by mid-2026. The bank highlighted 22 reported incidents with no serious injuries, though mileage remains far below Waymo's. Tesla's pricing is 21% cheaper than competitors but with longer wait times. The report also noted SpaceX's Starship launch abort and stock decline.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 18, 09:06 PM UTC

Bank of America (BofA) has revised its Tesla forecasts upward ahead of the company's Q2 2026 earnings report on July 22. The bank raised its 2026 revenue estimate to $107.8 billion from $103.4 billion, and lifted EPS estimates across 2026-2028 by 4-7%. BofA reiterated its Buy rating and $460 price target, implying 17.6% upside. The analysts highlight robotaxi expansion as the primary catalyst, noting operations in five markets with four more in preparation. However, Tesla fell short of its original target of nine cities by mid-2026. The Texas robotaxi fleet grew by over 100 vehicles to 175, though absolute numbers remain modest. BofA also notes 22 reported incidents with no serious injuries, but Tesla's mileage is far below Waymo's. The article also mentions SpaceX's Starship launch abort and stock decline.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 18, 09:06 PM UTC

This analysis argues that trial lawyers are actively lobbying against autonomous vehicle (AV) legislation to preserve lucrative auto accident litigation, despite evidence that AVs are significantly safer than human drivers. Citing Waymo data from over 220 million miles, the article notes 94% fewer serious injuries and 93% fewer pedestrian injuries compared to human driving. The American Association for Justice has opposed AV bills for nearly a decade. The author proposes adopting the UK's Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018 model, where a single insurer covers the vehicle regardless of driver, victims are compensated quickly without proving product defects, and insurers subrogate against manufacturers. This system, the author contends, deters accidents better than tort law through precise insurance data and avoids high legal transaction costs. The piece concludes that insurance serves victims well but threatens trial lawyers' revenue from the $180-220 billion annual auto insurance payout pool.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 18, 11:18 AM UTC

The article argues that trial lawyers, through the American Association for Justice, have been lobbying against autonomous vehicle (AV) legislation for nearly a decade, despite growing evidence that AVs are substantially safer than human drivers. Citing Waymo data from over 220 million miles driven, the article reports 94% fewer serious injuries, 82% fewer air bag deployments, and 93% fewer pedestrian injuries compared to human driving. The author contends that trial lawyers oppose AVs because they profit heavily from litigating the $180-220 billion annual auto insurance payout system. The article advocates for a UK-style insurance model (Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018) where a single insurer covers the vehicle regardless of driver, victims are compensated directly, and manufacturers face costs through insurer subrogation. This system, the author argues, would reduce transaction costs and improve safety deterrence compared to tort litigation.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 18, 11:18 AM UTC

The article argues that trial lawyers, through the American Association for Justice, have been lobbying against autonomous vehicle (AV) legislation for nearly a decade, despite evidence that AVs are substantially safer than human drivers. Citing Waymo data over 220 million miles, the article reports 94% fewer serious injuries, 82% fewer air bag deployments, and 93% fewer pedestrian injuries compared to human driving. The author contends that trial lawyers oppose AVs because they profit from litigating the roughly $180-220 billion in annual U.S. auto insurance payouts. The article advocates for a UK-style insurance model where a single insurer covers the vehicle regardless of driver, victims are compensated directly, and insurers subrogate against manufacturers if software is at fault. This system, the author argues, would reduce transaction costs and better deter accidents than product liability lawsuits.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 18, 11:18 AM UTC

This opinion article from LabourList argues that driverless cabs (Autonomous Passenger Vehicles) being tested in London must be regulated to serve the public interest, not private tech companies. It notes that Andy Burnham's incoming team reportedly wants to slow the rollout. The author raises concerns about congestion, the impact on 300,000 UK private hire drivers, and the weakening of public transport. The piece criticizes vague answers from operators like Waymo on vehicle numbers and timing. It proposes an alternative: using driverless tech for freight safety, integrating APVs with public transport (as in Oslo), and requiring TfL to reject current operator permits until a clear public-interest plan is in place. The article warns that London's experience is a warning for other UK cities.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 18, 05:00 AM UTC

The article argues that driverless cabs (Autonomous Passenger Vehicles) being tested in London risk prioritizing private profit over public good. It highlights concerns from a Financial Times report that incoming Labour mayor Andy Burnham's team may slow the rollout. The author questions the benefits for passengers needing affordable public transport, the livelihoods of 300,000 UK private hire drivers, and the impact on congestion and bus services. The piece warns that allowing unregulated growth of driverless cabs could weaken public transport, increase private journeys, and leave vulnerable groups behind. It proposes alternatives such as using the technology for freight safety, integrating APVs with public transport (as in Oslo), and requiring TfL to reject current operator permits until a clear public-interest plan is established.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 18, 05:00 AM UTC

This opinion piece from LabourList argues that driverless cabs (Autonomous Passenger Vehicles) being tested in London must be regulated to serve the public interest, not just corporate profits. It highlights concerns from a Financial Times article suggesting Andy Burnham's incoming team may slow the rollout. The author questions the benefits of driverless cabs, noting potential downsides: increased congestion, harm to 300,000 UK private hire drivers' livelihoods, and weakening of public transport. The piece warns that allowing unregulated growth of driverless cabs could lead to weaker public transport systems, more private journeys, and exclusion of older and disabled Londoners. It proposes alternatives: using the technology for freight vehicles to improve road safety, integrating autonomous vehicles with public transport (as in Oslo), and requiring operators to address transport problems rather than create new ones. The author calls on TfL to reject current operator permits and develop a plan that prioritizes workers, cities, and public transport users.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 18, 05:00 AM UTC

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie sent a letter to California transportation regulators on Wednesday, calling for new statewide standards requiring autonomous vehicle (AV) companies to demonstrate operational readiness during major disruptions before deploying their vehicles. Citing two incidents—a July 4th traffic jam where Waymo vehicles blocked lanes and a December 2025 power outage that stranded robotaxis—Lurie argued that AVs must prove they can handle extraordinary events, not just normal conditions. His proposal would mandate that robotaxi companies quickly clear disabled vehicles, dynamically reroute during emergencies, share real-time data with local agencies, and pass stress tests for traffic surges. This marks a shift from voluntary commitments to mandatory requirements, a stance echoed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which recently warned AV operators about interference with first responders. Waymo responded positively, stating it shares the goal of safe transportation and will continue collaborating with the city.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 18, 01:21 AM UTC

Tesla Inc. heads into its second-quarter earnings report with strong momentum from its robotaxi service expansion, according to a Bank of America analysis. The bank reiterated a Buy rating and $460 price target, citing rapid fleet scaling, delivery numbers that beat Wall Street estimates, and upcoming milestones for the Optimus humanoid robot. Tesla now operates robotaxis in five markets after a July 3 launch in Miami, with four more markets in preparation. Its Texas fleet grew to 175 vehicles, the fastest among tracked operators, with no serious injuries reported. Tesla delivered approximately 480,000 vehicles in Q2, up 25% year-over-year and above consensus estimates of 406,000, gaining BEV market share. Bank of America also highlighted Optimus production targets for late July/August at Fremont, a potential Gen 3 reveal, and a 25 GWh energy storage deal with NatPower. The bank views Tesla as in early stages of monetizing autonomy capabilities.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 17, 03:54 PM UTC

Ahead of Alphabet's Q2 2026 earnings report, Bank of America has issued a bullish outlook, setting a price target of $440, implying 19% upside from the current $369.68. The article highlights Google Cloud's 63% growth, outpacing Microsoft Azure's 40%, and a cloud backlog nearly doubling to $462 billion. However, capital intensity is a concern, with CapEx more than doubling to $36 billion in Q1, slashing free cash flow by 47%. Prediction markets assign a 96.6% probability of another earnings beat. The bull case rests on cloud, AI monetization (Gemini processing 16 billion tokens per minute), and Waymo's 500,000 weekly autonomous rides. The bear case focuses on rising costs and regulatory fines. Comparisons are drawn with Microsoft and Meta, noting Alphabet's lower P/E ratio of 25.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 17, 03:30 PM UTC

Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company Zoox voluntarily recalled 105 robotaxis after an unoccupied vehicle drove into heavy smoke at an active emergency fire scene in Las Vegas on June 20. The vehicle failed to detect the smoke, entered the scene, braked hard, and stopped. A teleguidance employee instructed it to reverse, and first responders later placed cones. Zoox notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on July 8. The recall follows an NHTSA directive calling on autonomous vehicle developers to address issues with first responders, citing a pattern of AVs interfering with emergency scenes. Zoox has issued several software recalls in the past year. The company operates driverless buggies in Las Vegas, San Francisco, Miami, and Austin, and is testing in six other U.S. cities.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 17, 02:42 PM UTC

Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company Zoox voluntarily recalled software in 105 of its robotaxis after an incident on June 20, 2026, in Las Vegas. An unoccupied Zoox robotaxi drove into heavy smoke obscuring an active emergency fire scene that was not cordoned off with cones. The vehicle entered the scene, braked hard, and attempted to steer away before stopping. A teleguidance employee instructed it to reverse, and first responders later placed cones. Zoox determined this was the only such event and reported no injuries. The recall follows a directive from NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison calling on autonomous vehicle developers to address interference with first responders. Zoox has issued several software recalls in the past year, including for lane crossings and pedestrian prediction issues, as it competes with Waymo in the robotaxi market.

1 reports · 1 sources · Updated Jul 17, 02:40 PM UTC

Volkswagen's Moia unit has launched a pilot robotaxi service in Hamburg, Germany, becoming the latest major automaker to enter the autonomous mobility arena. The service uses self-driving Volkswagen ID. Buzz vans equipped with Mobileye technology, initially operating up to five vehicles with trained safety monitors. Rides are free during the pilot phase, which covers about 4 square miles and will expand to 14 square miles. Unlike private robotaxi services like Waymo, Moia's service functions as a shared autonomous shuttle with designated virtual stops. The pilot is part of the government-backed ALIKE project, funded through mid-2027. Moia plans to offer its autonomous platform to fleet operators rather than operate a standalone service. The company targets European approval for driverless operations by 2027 and expects to launch services in Orlando and Los Angeles later this year through partnerships with Beep and Uber.

1 reports · 1 sources