TechCrunch Mobility: The robotaxi expansion that really matters

The article from TechCrunch Mobility highlights the significance of Waymo’s recent expansion of its robotaxi service onto freeways in major metropolitan areas like the San Francisco Bay Area, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. While Waymo has announced plans to enter numerous cities including Detroit, Las Vegas, and Washington, D.C., the author argues that freeway access is a more critical development. This expansion enables more efficient routing—potentially reducing ride times by up to 50%—and is essential for connecting key locations such as the San Francisco Airport, which Waymo is currently testing. This freeway-to-airport connectivity is seen as a pivotal moment for Waymo’s commercial viability, though the company’s profitability remains uncertain without access to its financials. The article also touches on other notable industry developments. Lucid Motors is reportedly close to naming a permanent CEO after nearly nine months with an interim leader, likely promoting Marc Winterhoff back to COO. In the autonomous vehicle sector, Swedish startup Einride is pursuing a SP