Google Wants To Sell You A Robotaxi
Waymo’s self-driving taxis may one day be available for consumers to own, according to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai. Waymo, a subsidiary of Google parent company Alphabet, has been testing and deploying autonomous vehicles since 2009.
Key Points
- Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai suggested that Waymo’s autonomous vehicles could eventually be available for individual ownership, marking a potential expansion of the company's current commercial-only model.
- The announcement comes as Tesla prepares to launch its own robotaxi service, with Elon Musk touting a lower-cost, high-volume alternative to Waymo’s sensor-heavy vehicles.
- Waymo continues to scale through collaborations with Uber, Hyundai, Zeekr, and others, currently operating 250,000 autonomous rides per week in cities like San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.
According to Reuters, Pichai made the claim during the company’s Q1 earnings call. There is no specific timeline or roadmap.
Waymo's idea for customer-owned robotaxis comes just as Tesla begins to ramp its own autonomous ambitions. CEO Elon Musk recently reiterated that Tesla will launch a robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, by June 2025, with plans to expand into other U.S. states with fewer regulatory hurdles. Tesla’s approach will lean heavily on vision-based AI and camera systems, which it claims will keep costs significantly lower than lidar-heavy systems like Waymo’s.
Musk has also criticized the high production cost of Waymo vehicles. "Teslas probably cost a quarter, 20% of what a Waymo costs and are made in very high volume," Musk said earlier this week. Musk said Tesla owners will be able to list their vehicles on a ride-hailing network to generate income, once the service becomes operational.
Despite Tesla’s aggressive timeline, experts remain skeptical due to the technical challenges associated with inclement weather, complex traffic environments, and unpredictable pedestrian behavior. Meanwhile, General Motors halted operations of Cruise after a serious crash prompted federal investigations.
Waymo, in contrast, has grown its footprint through strategic partnerships with Uber, Hyundai, Zeekr, Jaguar, and fleet operator Moove. Expect any potential consumer-oriented Waymo vehicle to be produced under a partnership model with an automaker rather than a direct manufacturing effort.
Though still a small part of Alphabet’s overall valuation, Waymo currently handles over 250,000 fully autonomous rides per week. Its current robotaxi fleet—more than 700 vehicles in total—is the only one in the U.S. offering fully driverless, fare-collecting rides. Waymo operates vehicles in Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Austin, with plans to add Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, D.C.
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An experienced automotive storyteller and accomplished photographer known for engaging and insightful content. Michael also brings a wealth of technical knowledge—he was part of the Ford GT program at Multimatic, oversaw a fleet of Audi TCR race cars, ziptied Lamborghini Super Trofeo cars back together, been over the wall during the Rolex 24, and worked in the intense world of IndyCar.
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