Driverless cabs are coming alive very soon, as Tesla is planning to launch its own Robotaxi service in Austin by the end of June. A couple of cars are already on the streets, but only in designated areas, as the project continues to evolve. The test phase is happening in real time and not only in Texas, where the Giga factory is located, but also in San Francisco, in another franchise of the company. Mainly, the workers of Tesla have been testing the service for a while, making trips home and back, but it’s not the only one in the market.
The future has no drivers: Driverless taxis are on the way
For Robotaxi to be launched, the company that wishes to provide the service needs to meet strict guidelines created by the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), such as providing evidence that the car can operate without a driver, which only cars at level 4 or 5 of automation have this feature.
Tesla cars can drive by themselves, but the level of automation of the autopilot of the company is currently at level 2, in which a driver is needed in case of something happening, and it needs to take over the wheel and steer the car. One important feature of the brand is that the service is being created using their own cars. Meanwhile, brands like Alphabet, which is actively serving the community with driverless cabs, have a collaboration with the British manufacturer Jaguar for it to provide the vehicles.
Robotaxi “Waymo” is ready to expand: Is America ready?
The Robotaxi service is expanding to more areas across the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. Starting next month, Waymo’s similar Robotaxi service will also begin testing its autonomous technology in New York City.
In the Bay Area, riders can now book fully autonomous trips in Brisbane, South San Francisco, San Bruno, Millbrae, and Burlingame through the Waymo One app. Selected riders can also access service in Mountain View, Palo Alto, and Menlo Park. In Los Angeles, the service is available in neighborhoods like Playa del Rey, Ladera Heights, Echo Park, Silver Lake, and across the length of Sunset Boulevard. Riders can also travel between Mid-City, Inglewood, and Westchester using La Cienega and La Brea, expanding the service area to roughly 120 square miles.
Waymo has applied for a permit with the New York City Department of Transportation to operate in Manhattan with a safety driver behind the wheel. In the meantime, the company will operate manually in the city, as it did in 2021. Waymo is also seeking a change in state law that would allow fully autonomous rides in New York. Under current regulations, fully driverless service is not permitted.
Waymo will be in a couple of cities by June 2025
Waymo’s version of the Robotaxi operates fully autonomous rides for the public in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin, using its all-electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles. The company is expanding its partnership with Uber to launch in Atlanta later this year and plans to begin offering service in Washington, D.C., and Miami in 2026. In April, Waymo announced it would also begin testing its technology in Tokyo, making it the company’s first international location.
Expansion incoming: Waymo’s Jaguar I-Pace models are on the way
Waymo’s robotaxi is expanding its manufacturing capabilities as well. In May, the company announced the opening of a 239,000‑square‑foot factory in the Phoenix area, where it will designate an additional 2,000 Jaguar I‑Pace vehicles.
Earlier this year, Waymo confirmed it had received its final delivery of Jaguar I‑Pace vehicles and that its new factory’s design would support the integration of its sixth‑generation self‑driving technology, starting with the all‑electric Zeekr RT. According to Waymo’s latest Safety Impact Report, its technology has logged over 71 million autonomous miles as of March 2025.
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