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The Star
23-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Star
Factbox-How Tesla's robotaxi efforts stack up against Waymo and Zoox
A Tesla robotaxi with no backseat passengers drives on the street along South Congress Avenue in Austin, Texas, U.S., June 22, 2025. REUTERS/Joel Angel Juarez (Reuters) -Electric car maker Tesla started a trial of its long-awaited robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, the first step toward what could be a showdown with Alphabet's Waymo, the only player currently offering fully autonomous paid rides in the United States. Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk has started off with about 10 Model Ys and promised to focus on safety. He says Tesla could scale quickly, and he plans a separate robotaxi vehicle. Social media influencers were seen booking and taking rides in the robotaxis in several Austin locations on Sunday, according to videos reposted by Musk. Here is how Tesla's cybercab efforts compare with those of Waymo and Zoox, which is preparing its own commercial launch: LOCATIONS VEHICLE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY Feature Waymo Tesla Zoox Vehicle Type Jaguar I-Pace Model Y Custom built bidirectional pod Steering Yes Yes in No wheel current test Autonomous LiDAR, cameras, Cameras LiDAR, technology radars cameras, radars Autonomy Level 4 - Testing Level Testing Level level autonomous 4 4 within limits Launch of 2018 2025 Expected paid service later in 2025 Teleoperatio Yes Yes Yes n - human guidance or control Rides/vehicl More than About 10 More than 20 es 250,000 rides a vehicles vehicles in week testing phase (Reporting by Zaheer Kachwala in Bengaluru; Editing by Chris Reese)
USA Today
27-03-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
Automakers urge Trump administration to clear way for self-driving cars
Automakers urge Trump administration to clear way for self-driving cars Show Caption Hide Caption Trump's victory could speed Musk's robotaxi, but long road ahead When Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled a model of what he said was a fully autonomous robotaxi, he touted the vehicle as the future of transportation. Automakers say they face series of regulatory hurdles to self-driving cars. NHTSA must assert it is sole regulator of self-driving vehicle hardware, they say. Autonomous cars have faced scrutiny after 2023 pedestrian injury. Major automakers and tech groups last week called on the Trump administration to take steps to speed the deployment of self-driving cars, citing a number of regulatory hurdles. The Alliance For Automotive Innovation, a group representing nearly all major automakers, in a letter seen by Reuters, called on Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to quickly implement a national performance-based framework and assert the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's role as sole regulator of self-driving vehicle hardware, software and operation. The Consumer Technology Association, Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association and other groups also signed the letter. "If the federal government fails to act to advance sensible AV policies we will cede our leadership in this economically crucial sector to China," the letter said. "Multiple agencies and state regulatory regimes create inconsistent rules, risking safety gaps and eroding public trust." The groups want the U.S. Transportation Department to not require human drivers to operate self-driving commercial motor vehicles and allow self-driving trucks to use cab-mounted warning beacons instead of devices requiring drivers to physically deploy them. USDOT did not immediately comment. NHTSA should clarify that no manually operated driving controls are required in self-driving vehicles and ensure a driver's license is not required to ride in an AV, the letter added. The industry faces scrutiny after a pedestrian was seriously injured in October 2023 by a General Motors Cruise vehicle. More autonomous vehicles: Would you ride in a self-driving car? Survey says most Americans would not NHTSA opened investigations into self-driving vehicles operated by Cruise, Google-owned Waymo and Zoox. In November, Cruise admitted to submitting a false report to influence NHTSA's investigation and paid a $500,000 criminal fine. GM has since folded Cruise into its personal autonomy research In December, USDOT proposed streamlining reviews of petitions to deploy self-driving vehicles without human controls such as steering wheels or brake pedals. Efforts in Congress to make it easier to deploy robotaxis on U.S. roads without human controls have been stymied for years. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who is leading Trump's effort to shrink the federal government, told investors in January Tesla would roll out 'autonomous ride-hailing for money' by June in Texas. Tuesday's letter is the latest push for more action by regulators. Autonomous vehicle companies in January urged U.S. DOT to "assert its responsibility over the design, construction and performance of autonomous vehicles and increase its efforts in key areas." In December 2023, automakers and the Chamber of Commerce called on USDOT under then-President Joe Biden to do more for self-driving vehicle deployment.
