The competition to establish driverless taxis on roads across the United States is intensifying as key players make major strides in their respective projects.
Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, has already begun offering paid autonomous rides in select cities, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, making it a frontrunner in the autonomous taxi race.
Amazon’s Zoox has recently opened a new production facility in the Bay Area, further asserting its commitment to the successful rollout of robotaxi services.
Since 2023, Zoox has been testing its uniquely designed, pill-shaped vehicles in California and Nevada, with plans to launch a public ride-hailing service later this year in Las Vegas and San Francisco.
In Austin, Texas, Tesla under the leadership of Elon Musk is in the early stages of testing driverless vehicles, aiming to introduce a commercial service soon. Musk has previously highlighted his vision for an autonomous future, describing it as an era of abundance with the unveiling of Tesla’s Cybercab prototype.
Experts suggest that the proliferation of self-driving technology holds the potential to impact society in ways comparable to the internet and smartphones.
Karl Brauer, an analyst at iSeeCars.com, noted that while Waymo appears to be leading the charge, both Tesla and Zoox are working vigorously to catch up.
“Tesla has tried to catch up, and Zoox is a more recent competitor that’s hoping to be a serious player,” he remarked. “Waymo has been slow and steady and, as a result, is winning the race.”
Despite the advancements, some industry insiders estimate that widespread robotaxi use in the U.S. may still be 15 years away. Waymo’s taxis are becoming a familiar sight, yet their expansion is hampered by weather conditions and the need for improved charging infrastructure.
Recently, Waymo expanded its operating area in Los Angeles County, allowing its vehicles to cover over 120 square miles. In addition, the company increased its service offerings in San Francisco, including access to surrounding suburbs and Silicon Valley.
In conjunction with Waymo’s expansion, Zoox has initiated operations at a new 220,000-square-foot facility in Hayward, California, which is expected to produce 10,000 robotaxis annually.
In contrast to Waymo’s retrofitted Jaguar vehicles, Zoox is focusing on creating a purpose-built taxi devoid of traditional steering wheels or gas pedals.
Zoox already has a manufacturing site in Fremont, California, where it works on test fleets made from retrofitted Toyota Highlanders. Interestingly, Tesla also operates a manufacturing facility in the same city.
Musk has long promised to revolutionize the autonomous vehicle industry and provide a comprehensive ride-hailing service. However, legislators in Austin recently requested a delay in the launch of Tesla’s service in their city.
Currently, Tesla, Zoox, and Waymo represent the three major U.S. companies remaining in a market that has seen several contenders fall by the wayside. General Motors’ autonomous taxi operation, Cruise, halted its services in 2023 following an incident involving a pedestrian in San Francisco.
In the past year, Uber and Cruise announced a collaboration that could see Cruise vehicles back on the roads.
Another competitor, Argo AI, funded by Ford and Volkswagen, was also once in the race to develop driverless technology but ceased operations in 2022.
The further progress of robotaxis hinges on the successful and safe testing of these vehicles. As noted by Brauer, numerous incidents have already raised concerns; Tesla’s Full Self-Drive mode has faced scrutiny, and Waymo has issued recalls on multiple occasions.
“If there’s a tragic result for any of these three companies during the testing and development process, it would likely slow down the entire industry,” he concluded.
image source from：latimes
