TECHNOLOGY

Self-Driving Cars: The Race Between Waymo and Tesla

Austin, Texas, USA,Fri Jul 25 2025

In the race to dominate the self-driving car market, two big players are going head-to-head: Waymo and Tesla.

Waymo: The Long Game

  • Experience: Over 10 years in development.
  • Miles Driven: Over 100 million miles without a driver.
  • Service Expansion: Doubled its service area in Austin.
  • Partnerships: Teamed up with Uber for easy ride-hailing.
  • Technology: Uses lidar sensors and high-definition maps, focusing on safety.
  • Current Status: Offers fully driverless rides in multiple cities.

Tesla: The New Kid on the Block

  • Promises: Self-driving cars that can make money while you sleep.
  • Robotaxi Launch: Finally launched in Austin in late June, but only for a select group.
  • Service Area: Much smaller than Waymo's.
  • Technology: Relies on cameras and neural networks, aiming for a cheaper and faster solution.
  • Current Status: Still in the testing phase, with limited access.

Who's Ahead?

  • Waymo is currently leading with larger service areas, fully driverless rides, and rapid expansion.
  • Tesla is still catching up, with many challenges to overcome before reaching Waymo's level.

questions

    Could the limited access to Tesla's robotaxi service be a deliberate strategy to control the narrative and avoid public scrutiny?
    How does Waymo's safety-first approach compare to Tesla's more aggressive scaling strategy in terms of long-term viability?
    Why did Tesla's service area map look like a crude joke, and what does that say about their initial rollout strategy?

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