Autonomous Vehicles Weekly — 2026-10-29
Waymo aggressively expands its US footprint by adding 250 square miles of coverage, while Tesla faces scrutiny over the "unsupervised" status of its Cybercab and user-reported routing issues in Houston. Internationally, France outlines a 2027 approval path for autonomous vehicles, and the FAA issues its first authorization for eVTOL passenger-carrying flights, signaling a shift in urban air mobility regulations.
Autonomous Vehicles Weekly — 2026-10-29
Top Stories
Waymo Expands Coverage by 250 Square Miles in Five US Cities
- What happened: Waymo announced it is adding nearly 250 square miles of driverless robotaxi coverage in Los Angeles, Nashville, Orlando, San Diego, and the Bay Area within a single week.
- Why it matters: This rapid expansion demonstrates Waymo’s ability to scale geographically while competitors struggle with similar growth, solidifying its lead in US robotaxi availability.
- Key players: Waymo, Alphabet
Tesla Cybercab "Unsupervised" Claims Under Scrutiny
- What happened: Forbes reports that Tesla’s Cybercab robotaxi service is likely still supervised remotely, despite claims of being "unsupervised." No evidence has been presented that Tesla has removed remote monitoring as other self-driving projects have done.
- Why it matters: The distinction between supervised and unsupervised autonomy is critical for regulatory approval and public trust. If Tesla is still relying on remote humans, it cannot claim the same level of technological maturity as competitors who have transitioned to fully autonomous operations.
- Key players: Tesla, Elon Musk
FAA Issues First Authorization for eVTOL Passenger Flights
- What happened: The FAA has issued its first authorization for eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft to carry passengers, specifically for Beta Technologies' air taxi flights.
- Why it matters: This milestone allows developers to conduct market surveys and let potential buyers experience the aircraft, marking a significant step toward commercial urban air mobility services.
- Key players: FAA, Beta Technologies
Self-Driving Cars & Robotaxis
- Tesla: Users in Houston reported that the Tesla Robotaxi service is taking unusually long routes and that parts of the map are unavailable, raising concerns about the reliability of the service as it expands.
- Waymo: Despite Musk’s claims of a "win" in Austin miles for one week, Waymo still drives 7x more miles nationally every week, highlighting the scale difference between the two leaders.
- Waymo International: As Waymo expands overseas, it remains a niche, cash-burning business for Alphabet, accounting for only 0.3% of total revenue in the recent quarter.
Drones & Urban Air Mobility
- FAA: The FAA has set a high bar for commercial air taxi flights under its eVTOL pilot program, suggesting that achieving type certificates may be an easier path than securing commercial-flight approvals under the current framework.
- Archer Aviation: The Pentagon is becoming the eVTOL industry's biggest customer, providing early, reliable revenue for Archer and Joby, which strengthens their investment cases despite stock volatility.
Regulation & Policy
- France: The French transport ministry announced it will publish an autonomous vehicle homologation doctrine in the first half of 2027. This framework will guide deployments by companies like Stellantis, Wayve, and Bolt, who are currently pitching pilots.
- US Federal: Congress has formally introduced the SELF DRIVE Act of 2026 (H.R. 7390) in the House, aiming to create a unified federal framework for autonomous vehicle deployment and research.
Business & Investment
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MTZ & Tensor Auto: Germany’s largest taxi operator, Münchner-Taxi-Zentrum (MTZ), announced a partnership with US autonomous driving company Tensor Auto to deploy autonomous taxis.
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NVIDIA & Stellantis: New partnerships involving NVIDIA, Stellantis, Pony.ai, Wayve, Bolt, and inDrive are advancing autonomous mobility plans in France and Kazakhstan, with robotaxi trials proposed for these regions.
Technology & Innovation
- Waymo Privacy: New reports highlight privacy risks in Waymo's Ojai robotaxi fleet, including in-cabin cameras and data sharing practices, urging riders to be aware of how their data is handled.
- Robotaxi Economics: Analysis suggests the robotaxi ramp is real, with Waymo potentially reaching $50M weekly run-rate ARR, though Astra/LLM integration remains a key risk factor for future scalability.
What to Watch Next Week
- Waymo Expansion: Monitor if the 250-square-mile expansion leads to increased service reliability issues or further rapid geographic growth.
- Tesla Cybercab Supervision: Look for official statements from Tesla confirming or denying remote supervision for the Cybercab service.
- FAA eVTOL Rules: Watch for further details on how the FAA’s "high bar" for commercial flights will impact Joby and Archer’s certification timelines.
- France AV Doctrine: Keep an eye on the first drafts or public consultations for France's 2027 autonomous vehicle homologation doctrine.
Reader Action Items
- For industry professionals: Review your data privacy policies regarding in-cabin monitoring, as public scrutiny of Waymo's practices may set a precedent for regulatory inquiries across the sector.
- For investors: Consider the impact of Pentagon contracts on eVTOL companies like Archer and Joby, which may provide a revenue floor independent of commercial air taxi success.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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