SAN FRANCISCO, April 24 (Reuters) — Alphabet’s self-driving unit, Waymo, may soon let people personally own its robotaxis, CEO Sundar Pichai revealed on Thursday. The announcement comes just as Tesla gears up to launch its own robotaxi service in the United States later this year.
Waymo’s Steady Growth in a Challenging Market
Since launching as a small self-driving project in 2009 and later spinning out of Google in 2016, Waymo has steadily expanded despite a challenging autonomous vehicle (AV) landscape. The AV industry has seen numerous setbacks due to soaring investments, tough regulations, and complex technological demands.
With over 700 vehicles in its fleet—300 of which operate in San Francisco—Waymo currently runs the only U.S. robotaxi service with no drivers and active fare collection. On a post-earnings conference call, Pichai confirmed that personal ownership is a future possibility, saying, “There is future optionality for personal ownership,” though he offered no specific timeline or details.
Tesla Fires Back at Waymo’s Costly Tech
Tesla CEO Elon Musk took a swipe at Waymo’s high-tech approach, pointing out the significant cost differences between the two companies’ vehicles. Waymo uses a blend of cameras and costly sensors like lidar to build detailed 3D maps of the road. Tesla, on the other hand, relies solely on camera vision and AI, making its production cheaper.
“Teslas probably cost a quarter, 20%, of what a Waymo costs and [are] made in very high volume,” Musk said after Tesla’s earnings call on Tuesday. “I don’t see anyone being able to compete with Tesla at present.”
Musk is banking Tesla’s future on robotaxis, promising that vehicle owners will eventually earn income by listing their cars on a ride-hailing platform. Tesla remains committed to launching its paid robotaxi service in June, beginning in Austin, Texas—where regulatory barriers are minimal—with further expansion planned in California and other states.
Waymo Expands Through Strategic Partnerships
While Tesla moves swiftly toward individual ownership and monetization, Waymo continues to grow its footprint through strategic partnerships. It collaborates with Uber, fleet operator Moove, and automakers like Hyundai, Zeekr, and Jaguar.
Analyst David Heger of Edward Jones said Alphabet will likely pursue personal robotaxi ownership through partnerships rather than building vehicles in-house. “Google doesn’t build its own automobiles, and I certainly don’t think they would try to get into that business,” he noted.
Scaling With Safety and Scope in Mind
Waymo currently delivers over 250,000 fully autonomous paid rides weekly. It operates in major U.S. cities including San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Austin, with plans to expand to Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, D.C.
As Alphabet explores new frontiers in mobility, Waymo’s potential move into personal ownership could reshape the future of transportation—offering a safer, smarter, and more scalable solution in the growing AV market.
