Robotaxis are on the rise Tesla, Waymo and Zoox reveal expansions plans, here's what's coming

Date:
Wed, 19 Nov 2025 22:00:00 +0000

Description:
Cab drivers beware, robotaxis are on the rise, as three major players
announce massive expansion plans.

FULL STORY

It is becoming increasingly likely that the next cab you flag down may well arrive without a driver at the wheel, as some of the biggest names in fully autonomous ride-hailing services have announced bold plans to expand their operations.

Waymo already has a live service that is open to the public in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin and Atlanta, but it has stated that five new major cities will come online later this year, with full public access in
2026.

These locations include Miami, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Orlando,
which will see Waymo complete the Texas Triangle or a region that covers the five largest cities in the area.

The expansion comes just after the announcement that Waymo has also started offering fully autonomous trips on freeways in Phoenix, San Francisco and Los Angeles, which theoretically allows it to compete with human-driven cabs on much longer trips.

Another robotaxi developer, Zoox, has also said that it has opened a wait
list for public riders in San Francisco. Unlike Waymo, which currently uses converted Jaguar I-Pace models, Zoox uses a purpose-built platform.

These look more like autonomous pods on wheels, rather than a traditional passenger cars and, as a result, they have been designed to be as spacious
and practical as possible.

The company is already operating in Las Vegas, but the opening of its "Explorers Program" in San Francisco means some members that previously
signed up to a waitlist have been invited to schedule their first ride.

Elon Musk has been banging the drum for autonomous ride-hailing for years
now, claiming that his Robotaxi service will be a key driver of profits in
the not-so distant future.

While the service has been relatively slow to start, only operating in a
small area of Austin, Texas and often with safety drivers behind the wheel,
it looks to be making progress, as Tesla has now opened the service up to anyone and everyone... well, almost.

All you need is the app that, for now, is only available via Apples App Store and requires the iOS platform to operate so only iPhone users need apply.

But the move signals Musks intent on expanding the operation and playing catch-up with the other big names on the scene.

However, Waymo looks to be expanding its operation at a lightning-fast rate, rapidly becoming a market leader.

Earlier this year, it announced that its services will soon be available in London and other cities around the world, making it a difficult company to catch.

======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/vehicle-tech/hybrid-electric-vehicles/robotaxis-are- on-the-rise-tesla-waymo-and-zoox-reveal-expansions-plans-heres-whats-coming

$$
--- SBBSecho 3.28-Linux
* Origin: Capitol City Online (42:17/1)