Autonomous Vehicles Weekly — 2026-11-10
Autonomous Vehicles Weekly|4 min read9.3AI quality score — automatically evaluated based on accuracy, depth, and source quality
Tesla has expanded its robotaxi service to San Antonio, narrowing the fleet gap with Waymo in Texas, while federal regulators investigate whether Waymo’s recent software fix for school bus violations was effective. Meanwhile, the Department of Defense is advancing autonomous logistics trials with a new fleet arriving at Fort Benning, and Joby Aviation continues its integration pilot flights in Florida.
Autonomous Vehicles Weekly — 2026-11-10
Top Stories
Tesla Launches Robotaxi Service in San Antonio
- What happened: Tesla began accepting passengers for its self-driving robotaxi service in San Antonio on Monday, November 9. This marks the next major Texas city for Tesla's autonomous ride-hailing expansion.
- Why it matters: While Tesla’s service area in San Antonio is larger than Waymo’s, reports indicate Tesla currently operates with far fewer vehicles than its Alphabet-owned rival. This expansion intensifies competition in Texas, a key testing ground for AV scalability.
- Key players: Tesla, Waymo (as competitor)
NHTSA Investigates Waymo’s School Bus Software Fix
- What happened: Federal regulators are questioning whether a software update rolled out nearly a year ago successfully prevented Waymo robotaxis from illegally passing stopped school buses. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reviewing post-patch violations that have continued to mount.
- Why it matters: This investigation could force the largest autonomous vehicle recall in U.S. history, potentially affecting 2,895 vehicles. It highlights ongoing challenges in ensuring safety compliance for large-scale AV fleets.
- Key players: NHTSA, Waymo
Autonomous Fleet Arrives at Fort Benning for DoD Challenge
- What happened: Five autonomous vehicles arrived at Fort Benning on November 4 to participate in the Department of Defense’s Robotic Operations for Autonomous Delivery and Sustainment (ROADS) prize challenge. This initiative aims to test and adopt commercial self-driving vehicles for military logistics.
- Why it matters: The ROADS challenge represents a significant step toward integrating commercial AV technology into defense supply chains, offering a new revenue stream and testing environment for autonomous trucking companies.
- Key players: U.S. Army, May Mobility, Forterra
Self-Driving Cars & Robotaxis
- Tesla: Tesla’s robotaxi registry in Texas has reached 1,282 vehicles, closing in on Waymo’s count of 1,285. This near-parity in Texas DMV registrations underscores the intense competition between the two leaders in the U.S. robotaxi market.
- Waymo/Tesla (Detroit): Both companies are preparing their robotaxi fleets for Metro Detroit’s winter conditions. Snow, ice, and challenging weather present one of the industry's toughest operational tests, with local analysts noting the critical importance of sensor reliability in such environments.
- Robotaxi Landscape: As of late 2026, Waymo operates public driverless rides in 15 metros, while Tesla is live in 8. The industry continues to expand cautiously, with many announced cities still pending regulatory approval or infrastructure readiness.
Drones & Urban Air Mobility
- Joby Aviation: Joby has begun piloted electric air taxi flights across Florida under the White House-backed eVTOL Integration Pilot Program. These flights mark the first integration of eVTOL aircraft into Florida’s planned Aerial Highway Network, involving state agencies and major airports.
- Market Trends: A new report highlights the global eVTOL aircraft market is forecasted to grow with a 44.1% CAGR through 2030. Key players scaling urban air mobility include Airbus, Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation, and Wisk Aero.
Regulation & Policy
- NHTSA: The agency is actively questioning the efficacy of Waymo’s school bus violation fixes, as detailed in the top stories. This scrutiny reflects a broader regulatory focus on verifying software updates for safety-critical behaviors.
- Federal Frameworks: While no new legislation passed this week, ongoing discussions around the SELF DRIVE Act and NHTSA rulemaking continue to shape the federal approach to ADS-equipped vehicles, particularly regarding standards for vehicles lacking manual controls. (Note: Contextual background from recent regulatory summaries)
Business & Investment
- ASI & RDO Equipment Co.: These companies shared lessons from successful autonomous fleet deployments at the AEMP EQShift 2026 conference. The discussion focused on site readiness, workforce evolution, and ecosystem integration for large-scale automation in equipment management.
- Senior Auto: The company signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with the Eastern Partnership Business Council and Taiji Zond LLC to advance autonomous heavy-duty transport services globally. This move signals growing international interest in AV logistics partnerships.
Technology & Innovation
- Department of Defense ROADS Challenge: The arrival of autonomous vehicles at Fort Benning includes participation from May Mobility and Forterra, who advanced to phase three of the challenge. This phase tests the viability of commercial self-driving vehicles for military delivery and sustainment operations.
- Winter Performance Testing: The push into Michigan represents a significant technical milestone for both Tesla and Waymo. Success in Detroit’s winter conditions will be a critical data point for validating sensor fusion and control systems in adverse weather, a key hurdle for nationwide AV deployment.
What to Watch Next Week
- NHTSA Recall Decision: Monitor official statements from NHTSA regarding the potential recall of Waymo’s fleet following the school bus violation investigations.
- Winter Data Release: Look for early performance metrics from Tesla and Waymo robotaxis operating in Detroit’s initial winter conditions.
- Joby Florida Pilot Updates: Keep an eye on further developments from Joby’s integration pilot program in Florida, which serves as a template for other states’ eVTOL infrastructure.
Reader Action Items
- For industry professionals: Review ASI and RDO’s case studies on autonomous fleet deployment to understand the operational and workforce requirements for scaling AV technology in industrial settings.
- For investors: Watch the fleet size parity between Tesla and Waymo in Texas; market share in key states may influence future valuation adjustments for both companies’ AV divisions.
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.
Explore related topics
Powered by
