Self-driving cars, trucks, and drones — who's ahead?
This week saw Tesla confirm a September 3 Cybercab launch event, Waymo push back against the notion of an AI shortcut to self-driving while announcing its first European expansion to Munich, and Archer Aviation accelerate its LA vertiport network with a new L.A. Live location. Meanwhile, an autonomous freight company raised $200M in a Series D round, and XPeng's robotics unit secured over $900M in its first external funding round.
The autonomous vehicle sector saw significant momentum this week, highlighted by Nevada regulators approving permits for up to 8,000 robotaxis from Tesla, Waymo, and Uber. Simultaneously, TechCrunch revealed details on the custom silicon powering Waymo's next-generation fleet, while the eVTOL industry faces a critical pivot toward securing ground infrastructure to support upcoming commercial launches.
Waymo has expanded access to its next-generation, lower-cost Ojai robotaxi in three new cities, marking a significant step toward mass-market profitability. Simultaneously, the eVTOL sector experienced a sharp sell-off despite positive corporate news, with Archer Aviation, Joby, and EHang stocks declining significantly.
Zoox secured landmark NHTSA approval for paid driverless robotaxi rides without steering wheels, while Waymo resumed freeway operations after a three-month pause. Congressional scrutiny intensified over robotaxi safety protocols, particularly emergency response failures, as regulatory momentum accelerated across federal and local jurisdictions.
Waymo's safety dominance widened this week as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released landmark data showing its robotaxis crash 68% less often than human drivers, while Tesla's robotaxi ambitions stalled with a 36% drop in paid miles. Meanwhile, Joby secured a major partnership with Virgin Atlantic for UK airport connections, and Archer Aviation pivoted toward defense contracts with an autonomous attack aircraft unveiled alongside Anduril.
Waymo's driverless robotaxis achieved a major safety milestone this week, with an IIHS report showing 68% fewer collisions per mile than human drivers, even as San Francisco regulators push for stricter operating rules following a July 4th gridlock incident. Meanwhile, Archer Aviation's surprise partnership with defense firm Anduril to build autonomous military drones reignited investor interest in struggling eVTOL stocks, and Tesla expanded its robotaxi presence to three Florida cities as the commercial race intensifies.
Waymo accelerates U.S. robotaxi expansion into four new markets while facing regulatory pressure from San Francisco officials over traffic disruptions. Concurrently, the Trump administration moves to modernize autonomous vehicle safety standards, and eVTOL companies battle over charging infrastructure amid steep stock declines. A critical software recall by Zoox highlights persistent safety challenges in the nascent autonomous mobility sector.
Tesla expands its Miami robotaxi footprint while facing skepticism about meeting 2026 unsupervised driving targets, Waymo encounters July 4th traffic chaos in San Francisco, and Joby Aviation secures a transformative manufacturing partnership with Toyota—marking the week's pivotal shifts in self-driving cars, air mobility, and commercial deployment momentum.
Joby Aviation secured a landmark manufacturing partnership with Toyota to scale electric air taxi production, while Uber ended its Phoenix robotaxi deal with Waymo and signaled a pivot to new partners like Nuro. Meanwhile, regulatory concerns emerged over sensor bias in autonomous vehicles, and the U.S. Marine Corps awarded a $20 million contract for fully autonomous ground vehicles, signaling broader military adoption of self-driving technology.
Waymo faces a significant operational setback with a recall of nearly 4,000 robotaxis from freeways following construction zone incidents, while China emerges as the dominant force in robotaxi development according to new industry scorecards. Meanwhile, legal battles threaten the eVTOL sector as Joby, Archer, and Vertical engage in patent disputes that could delay commercial passenger flights.
Intel's Mobileye announced plans to launch a robotaxi service in 2027, marking a major entry into an increasingly crowded market led by Waymo. Meanwhile, Waymo secured a strategic fleet management partnership with Element, and Tesla continues to lag competitors with only 59 robotaxis in operation. In drones, the global urban air mobility market is projected to reach $73 billion by 2033 as Joby, Archer, and other eVTOL makers race toward commercial passenger service.
Waymo solidifies its dominance in the robotaxi market by acquiring Apple's $220M Arizona test facility, while Tesla's robotaxi program faces mounting operational challenges. Meanwhile, GM signals plans to converge personal autonomy with robotaxi services, and the eVTOL sector advances amid litigation over regulatory frameworks and commercial launch timelines.
Tesla's robotaxi ambitions face mounting headwinds as Waymo solidifies market dominance in Texas with over 13x more registered vehicles, while Waymo launches a $30 monthly subscription program. Meanwhile, the eVTOL sector gains regulatory momentum with Joby joining the federal pilot program and Beta demonstrating low-cost air taxi economics at $28/hour operating costs.
Waymo's $220 million acquisition of Apple's former self-driving test facility signals major infrastructure investment as the company dominates Texas robotaxi deployments with nearly 600 vehicles. Meanwhile, eVTOL air taxi companies race toward commercial launches this year, with Vertical Aerospace completing maiden flights on a second prototype and the global air taxi market projected to reach $7.74 billion by 2033. London robotaxi services from Waymo and Wayve are set to debut by year-end, expanding the autonomous vehicle revolution beyond U.S. borders.
San Francisco police remain baffled after a shoplifter escaped in a Waymo robotaxi, underscoring the novel security challenges facing autonomous vehicles. Meanwhile, Texas registrations reveal Waymo's commanding 600-vehicle fleet dwarfs Tesla's 42 cars, while eVTOL companies face legal battles that threaten investor confidence despite Trump administration support. Battery recycling partnerships and Texas complaint mechanisms signal the industry's maturation into operational and sustainability phases.
Waymo dominates Texas robotaxi deployments with nearly 600 vehicles compared to Tesla's 42, while safety concerns mount as CNN documents hundreds of dangerous incidents. Meanwhile, Joby and Archer prepare commercial air taxi launches this year, and Waymo partners with B2U on battery recycling as the industry scales toward profitability.
Waymo's fleet dominance in Texas becomes undeniable as Tesla's robotaxi operations lag far behind with fewer than 50 vehicles registered, while the company's newly launched Ojai minivan robotaxi rolls out across California and Arizona. Meanwhile, eVTOL air taxi developers face regulatory hurdles and legal battles even as demonstration flights accelerate, and Tesla's own AI safety team reportedly questions the viability of the company's self-driving claims.
Waymo launches its new Ojai robotaxi with 6th-generation autonomous driving technology across San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, while dominating Texas AV registrations with over 400 vehicles—ten times Tesla's fleet size. Meanwhile, air taxi developers Archer and Joby continue their legal battle over California operations, with both eyeing commercial launches later in 2026 despite FAA certification delays pushing full deployments into 2027.
Waymo dominates headlines this week with a sweeping suspension of all freeway robotaxi rides across the US following a series of safety concerns, while a fresh strategic deal between Wayve and Stellantis signals that AI-driven autonomy is moving aggressively into mainstream automakers. Meanwhile, May Mobility and ECARX ink a scale-up partnership for robotaxi deployment, and New York State moves toward legislating autonomous vehicle fleets.
Waymo made headlines this week by pausing robotaxi operations across Atlanta and four Texas cities after a vehicle became stranded in floodwaters, exposing a critical gap in adverse-weather handling. Meanwhile, AI driving startup Wayve secured a landmark partnership with Stellantis, and Nuro's co-founder outlined how being a "second mover" in robotaxis could be a competitive advantage. The industry's multi-front expansion — from autonomous ride-hailing to eVTOL certification races — continued at full pace.
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