waymo Waymo Raises $16 Billion at $126 Billion Valuation to Fuel Global Robotaxi Expansion Alphabet's self-driving unit Waymo secures a massive $16 billion funding round, more than doubling its valuation to $126 billion as it shifts from proving a concept to scaling globally.
waabi Waabi Secures $200M to Launch AI-Powered Driverless Trucks by 2025 Toronto startup Waabi raises $200 million in a Series B round to deploy fully autonomous trucks next year. The company uses a unique generative AI simulator to train its driving system efficiently without relying on millions of real-world test miles.
tesla Tesla Faces Another Year of Unfulfilled Elon Musk Promises Elon Musk makes a series of bold claims for Tesla in 2024, including affordable robotaxis and autonomous fleets, but continues to rely on loose definitions of self-driving technology.
waymo Waymo Leads US Robotaxi Market As Rivals Gear Up For 2025 Waymo dominates the U.S. robotaxi market in 2024 after completing millions of autonomous rides, while competitors like Tesla and Zoox prepare to challenge its lead.
nhtsa Federal Agency Proposes Framework to Fast-Track Steering-Wheel-Free Robotaxis The NHTSA introduces a voluntary program that simplifies the deployment of autonomous vehicles lacking manual controls like steering wheels and pedals. In exchange for this regulatory pathway, AV companies must share extensive safety data with the government.
tusimple Former Self-Driving Truck Firm TuSimple Rebrands as AI Animation Company CreateAI TuSimple officially drops its autonomous trucking past to become CreateAI, an AI animation and gaming venture. The dramatic pivot faces heavy shareholder backlash and controversy over the movement of U.S. assets to China.
waymo Waymo Expands Robotaxi Testing Outside US for First Time With Tokyo Debut Waymo prepares to test its autonomous vehicles on Tokyo's public roads in early 2025, marking its first international expansion. The company partners with local taxi firms to navigate left-hand traffic and dense urban streets.
waymo Waymo Robotaxi Caught Circling Roundabout in Viral Video Loop A Waymo robotaxi goes viral after video shows it stuck circling a roundabout repeatedly with no passengers inside. The company resolves the strange looping behavior by quickly deploying a new software update to its entire fleet.
gm GM Abandons Cruise Robotaxi Ambitions to Focus on Personal Autonomy General Motors officially ends its commercial robotaxi dreams, absorbing Cruise to focus on incremental autonomous features for personal vehicles instead.
pony ai Pony AI Debuts on Nasdaq With $5.25 Billion Valuation Chinese autonomous driving company Pony AI starts trading on the Nasdaq, raising significant capital despite ongoing tensions between the U.S. and China.
may mobility May Mobility Launches Driverless Shuttle Testing in Ann Arbor May Mobility begins testing autonomous shuttles without human safety drivers in Ann Arbor, marking its second driverless city. The startup also plans to expand driverless operations to Georgia and integrate its vehicles into the Lyft app in Atlanta next year.
zoox Zoox Begins Testing Purpose-Built Robotaxis in San Francisco Zoox officially starts testing its unique, purpose-built robotaxis in San Francisco, marking its second commercial market. Employee-only testing begins in the SoMa neighborhood as the company expands beyond its existing Las Vegas operations.
waymo Alphabet's Waymo Reaches $45 Billion Valuation After Major Funding Round Waymo secures a staggering $45 billion valuation following a $5.6 billion funding round led by Alphabet. The autonomous vehicle company currently completes over 150,000 paid robotaxi trips weekly as it expands into new cities.
aurora innovation Aurora Postpones Driverless Truck Launch to April 2025 for Final Validation Aurora Innovation shifts its commercial autonomous truck deployment from late 2024 to April 2025 to complete final technology validation. The pre-revenue startup currently operates without remote human support 80% of the time and plans to launch with up to 10 driverless vehicles.
tesla Zoox CTO Doubts Tesla Robotaxi Plans Over Safety and Hardware Gaps Zoox co-founder Jesse Levinson dismisses Tesla's 2025 robotaxi ambitions, arguing the company lacks reliable technology and adequate hardware. He makes these claims as Zoox prepares to launch its own custom robotaxi in San Francisco and Las Vegas.