Robotaxi Race: Waymo, Apollo Go, Zoox, Pony and WeRide — 2026-09-13
Waymo expanded its driverless service to Nashville via Lyft and San Diego, while Amazon's Zoox launched free rides in San Francisco and faced a rear-end collision in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, NHTSA has opened an investigation into Tesla’s Cybercab deployment following reports of emergency response interference in Austin.
Robotaxi Race: Waymo, Apollo Go, Zoox, Pony and WeRide — 2026-09-13
Top developments
Lyft Integrates Waymo Rides in Nashville
On September 9, 2026, Lyft began offering Waymo robotaxi rides in Nashville, marking the second U.S. city where the ride-hailing giant provides driverless trips through its app. This move allows Lyft to compete more directly with Uber, which has long integrated autonomous vehicles from partners like Aurora and Waymo. The integration leverages Waymo’s existing fleet to boost Lyft’s capacity without the capital expenditure of building its own AV fleet.
NHTSA Investigates Tesla Cybercab Deployment
Federal regulators have launched an investigation into Tesla’s Cybercab deployment, focusing on how the company self-certified its vehicle safety. The probe follows reports from Austin emergency responders who logged dozens of incidents where robotaxis interfered with first-responder operations. This scrutiny highlights the growing tension between rapid AV deployment and public safety infrastructure requirements.
Zoox Launches Free Rides in San Francisco, Faces Vegas Crash
Amazon’s Zoox has begun offering free rides in San Francisco, positioning itself as a direct competitor to Waymo in a dense urban environment. However, the expansion was marred by a rear-end collision involving a driverless Zoox vehicle at an intersection in Las Vegas on September 7, 2026. The incident occurred just days after Zoox expanded its testing operations to Harry Reid Airport, raising questions about the scalability of its safety protocols in mixed traffic.
WeRide Secures First L4 License in Spain
Chinese autonomous driving firm WeRide announced it has obtained the first L4-level operating license in Spain, paving the way for commercial robotaxi services in Madrid. This regulatory milestone allows WeRide to deploy vehicles without safety drivers in specific zones, aligning with Uber’s broader strategy to introduce Chinese robotaxi fleets to European markets.
Local view
In China, social media users on Weibo highlighted a milestone for Pony.ai, noting that their technology is powering the first fully unmanned robotaxi test in Croatia, operated by Verne. Local commentators framed this as a significant "export" of Chinese AV technology, with users expressing pride that foreign cities are adopting Chinese autonomous driving stacks.
Context & numbers
As of early September 2026, Waymo continues to report over 500,000 weekly paid rides, aiming for 1 million by year-end. In contrast, Baidu’s Apollo Go reported 3.2 million fully driverless operational rides in Q1 2026, with a weekly peak exceeding 350,000 rides. These figures underscore the divergent scales of the U.S. and Chinese leaders in the robotaxi race.
On the radar
- Tesla Cybercab Public Launch: Reports indicate Tesla is preparing to open its Cybercab service to the public imminently, which will likely intensify regulatory scrutiny given the ongoing NHTSA investigation.
- Uber’s European Fleet Expansion: Following the Pony.ai deal, Uber is expected to announce further partnerships for robotaxi deployments in European cities later this year, potentially including WeRide or Baidu units.
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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