Articles tagged with "ride-hailing"
The price gap between Waymo and Uber is narrowing
The article discusses the narrowing price gap between Waymo’s robotaxi service and traditional human-driven ride-hailing options like Uber and Lyft in the San Francisco Bay Area. According to data collected by Obi between late November and early January, Waymo rides averaged $19.69, compared to $17.47 for Uber and $15.47 for Lyft. This marks a shift from April 2025 data, when Waymo rides were more expensive ($20.43) relative to Uber ($15.58) and Lyft ($14.44). The change is attributed to Waymo lowering its prices while Uber and Lyft have increased theirs, suggesting that the initial novelty of robotaxis may be fading, prompting Waymo to compete more aggressively on price. The report also highlights Tesla’s emerging robotaxi service, which appears significantly cheaper but comes with caveats. Tesla’s service in the Bay Area is not fully autonomous or officially permitted as a robotaxi; instead, it operates with human safety drivers under a transportation
robotrobotaxiautonomous-vehiclesride-hailingWaymoTeslaself-driving-technologyTesla Robotaxis Now Cover 50% of the USA - CleanTechnica
The article from CleanTechnica critically examines Elon Musk’s recent claim that Tesla’s robotaxi service would cover half of the U.S. population by the end of 2025. Musk made this prediction during Tesla’s Q2 2025 shareholder call, suggesting that autonomous ride-hailing would be available to roughly 170 million people. However, the article highlights that Tesla currently offers robotaxi service to 0% of the country’s population, marking a significant and glaring miss rather than a slight delay. This shortfall is underscored by Musk’s history of overpromising on Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) and robotaxi capabilities, with previous forecasts from 2016-2017 still unmet nearly a decade later. The article questions the credibility of Musk’s recent forecast, given the short six-month timeframe and the scale of the gap between the claim and reality. It also raises concerns about accountability for repeated false predictions and whether Tesla’s leadership will address these issues in the upcoming
robotautonomous-vehiclesTeslarobotaxiself-driving-technologyride-hailingtransportation-technologyBYD launches ride-hailing focused EV brand with 200 kW electric motor
BYD is launching a new sub-brand called Linghui, focused specifically on ride-hailing vehicles, as part of a strategic brand restructuring to separate these models from its core consumer lineup. Four Linghui models—the e5, e7, e9, and M9—have been submitted for approval, signaling rapid progress toward market introduction. While Linghui is positioned as a distinct brand, its vehicles leverage BYD’s existing engineering and platforms, incorporating the company’s Blade Battery technology known for high energy density, thermal stability, and durability. The lineup spans multiple segments, from the affordable e5 based on the Qin Plus EV platform to the premium e9 derived from the BYD Han, and the M9 plug-in hybrid featuring a 200 kW electric motor paired with a 1.5-liter engine, reflecting BYD’s dual-track electrification strategy. The Linghui brand is designed primarily for ride-hailing fleets, addressing the market reality that fleet operators prioritize cost-efficiency over brand prestige
energyelectric-vehiclesbattery-technologyBYDelectrificationride-hailingelectric-motorMore Robotaxi + Ride-Hailing Partnerships - CleanTechnica
Recent developments highlight expanding partnerships between robotaxi companies and ride-hailing platforms across major global cities. Baidu is collaborating with Uber and Lyft to introduce its Apollo Go autonomous vehicle system in London, with testing slated for the first half of 2026 pending regulatory approval. Baidu, noted as the world’s largest autonomous vehicle operator, plans to deploy a hybrid network of fully electric, purpose-built RT6 robotaxis alongside human drivers to serve London’s travel needs. This initiative aligns with Transport for London’s regulatory framework and aims to scale from dozens to hundreds of vehicles, enhancing the city’s mobility options. In Abu Dhabi, WeRide and Uber have launched a fully driverless robotaxi service, marking the first city-level fully driverless permit outside the U.S. and the Middle East’s inaugural deployment of such technology. The service operates commercially on Yas Island, accessible via Uber Comfort, UberX, and a new “Autonomous” ride category. WeRide secured federal permits in October 2025,
robotautonomous-vehiclesrobotaxiride-hailingBaidu-ApolloWeRideUberWaymo Tries to Pull in More Riders with Mariah Mode - CleanTechnica
Waymo has launched a special holiday-themed promotion called "Mariah Mode" in collaboration with Mariah Carey, aiming to enhance rider experience and attract more users during the festive season. Available in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, this limited-edition offering features Waymo vehicles wrapped in custom Mariah Carey holiday designs. Riders can unlock an exclusive in-car experience by redeeming promo codes—MARIAH for first-time users and MARIAHMODE for returning riders—via the Waymo app. The experience includes Mariah-themed wallpaper, a holiday greeting from Mariah Carey, and a curated holiday music mix. Additionally, all Waymo riders, regardless of whether they use the Mariah-wrapped cars, will hear a special holiday greeting from Mariah Carey upon entering the vehicle. To fully enjoy the experience, riders need to redeem the promo code in the app’s "Offers & Promotions" section, disable autoplay music, and hail their ride. Those with connected Spotify or YouTube Music accounts
robotautonomous-vehiclesWaymoride-hailingsmart-transportationAImobility-technology40% Of Bolt’s Motorcycle Fleet Is Now Electric, Making It Nairobi’s Largest EV Ride-Hailing Provider - CleanTechnica
Kenya’s electric motorcycle market is rapidly expanding, driven by innovators and supportive financing models over the past eight years. In 2024, electric motorcycles accounted for 7% of new registrations, surpassing the 5% adoption threshold that typically signals accelerating market growth. This share increased to around 10% in early 2025, coinciding with a recovery in overall motorcycle sales after a post-COVID slump. Given that motorcycles constitute over half of Kenya’s vehicles and transport contributes 39% of the country’s CO2 emissions, the shift to electric motorcycles represents a significant opportunity to reduce pollution and lower total ownership costs. A key development in this transition is Bolt, a major ride-hailing company operating in Kenya and globally, which now has over 40% of its motorcycle fleet electric, making it the largest electric motorcycle fleet provider in the country’s ride-hailing sector. Bolt has also onboarded more than 1,700 riders financed through M-KOPA, reaching its 2025
energyelectric-vehicleselectric-motorcyclesride-hailingsustainable-transportKenyaclean-energyTesla receives ride-hailing permit in Arizona in last required step to launch robotaxi service
Tesla has obtained a Transportation Network Company (TNC) permit from Arizona regulators, marking the final regulatory approval needed to launch its robotaxi service in the state. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) confirmed Tesla applied for the permit on November 13 and was approved as of November 17. This permit allows Tesla to operate a ride-hailing service that charges for rides, distinguishing it from autonomous vehicle testing permits that do not authorize commercial ride-hailing operations. Arizona, particularly the Phoenix metro area, is a key hub for autonomous vehicle testing and robotaxi services, with Waymo currently operating a large robotaxi network covering 315 square miles in the region. Tesla’s move follows its earlier efforts to test autonomous vehicles in Arizona through a self-certification process and its limited robotaxi service launches in South Austin and California. However, Tesla’s California operations currently lack the necessary commercial robotaxi permits and instead operate under a charter service model with human drivers using Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Supervised system
robotautonomous-vehiclesrobotaxiTeslaride-hailingtransportation-technologyself-driving-carsGreen GSM Partners With Xentro Motors For Electric Vehicle Fleet In Philippines - CleanTechnica
Green GSM, an electric ride-hailing service under the Vingroup GSM ecosystem, has partnered with Philippines-based AMRC Renewable Corporation/Xentro Motors through a memorandum of understanding to supply 2,000 VinFast electric vehicles for ride-hailing operations in the Philippines. This follows Green GSM’s launch of an all-electric taxi service in Metro Manila in June 2025, which started with 2,500 VinFast Nerio Green vehicles and represented a $500 million initial investment as part of a planned $1 billion commitment over three years. Under the new agreement, the first 1,000 vehicles have been secured, with the remainder to be delivered within two years, operating under the co-branded name “Green Xentro powered by Green GSM” in Metro Manila and other urban centers, pending regulatory approvals. The partnership aims to accelerate electric vehicle adoption in the Philippine ride-hailing market by leveraging local infrastructure and operational expertise. Xentro Motors will provide access to its Xentro Malls network for pick-up
electric-vehiclesEV-fleetride-hailingsustainable-mobilityelectric-vehicle-chargingclean-energytransportation-innovationWaymo Diversifies in Nashville with Lyft - CleanTechnica
Waymo is expanding its robotaxi services to Nashville, marking a shift from its usual partnership with Uber to collaborating with Lyft. This strategic move allows Waymo to avoid reliance on a single ride-hailing platform and fosters competition between Uber and Lyft for its business. In Nashville, Waymo’s fully autonomous rides will initially be accessible via the Waymo app, with plans to integrate Lyft’s app later as the service grows. Lyft’s fleet management expertise, particularly through its Flexdrive subsidiary, is a key factor in this partnership. Waymo has driven over 100 million fully autonomous miles and demonstrated that its robotaxis are safer than average human drivers. The company plans to launch fully autonomous operations in Nashville in the coming months and open the service to the public next year. Local and company leaders, including Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Lyft CEO David Risher, and Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana, expressed optimism about the partnership’s potential to enhance transportation options and economic growth in the region.
robotautonomous-vehiclesWaymorobotaxiride-hailingLyfttransportation-technologyZoox bets big, launches robotaxi service on Vegas Strip
Amazon subsidiary Zoox has launched its fully driverless robotaxi service on the Las Vegas Strip, marking a significant milestone after more than a decade of development. Zoox’s custom-built vehicles are unique in design, lacking traditional driver controls and featuring interior seating arranged to face each other, enhancing rider interaction. The company manufactures these robotaxis entirely in-house at its dedicated production facility, with a capacity of up to 10,000 vehicles annually. Initially, the service is free to riders to encourage adoption and gather feedback, with plans to introduce paid rides pending regulatory approval. Zoox has also established dedicated pickup zones with on-site concierges at key Las Vegas destinations and offers real-time app features such as vehicle identification, estimated pickup times, and ride summaries. Zoox is currently testing its robotaxis in San Francisco and Foster City, with future expansions planned for Austin and Miami. The company has driven over 2 million fully autonomous miles and completed more than 10 million autonomous trips, providing over 250
robotautonomous-vehiclesrobotaxiride-hailingtransportation-technologyAImobility-innovationTesla is seeking permits to offer ride-hail services at Silicon Valley airports
Tesla has initiated inquiries with the San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland airports regarding permits to operate a ride-hailing service at these locations. This move coincides with Tesla’s recent launch of a limited charter service in California, which currently lacks the necessary permits to function as a full ride-hail or robotaxi network. While Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software is being used in these charter rides, it remains a supervised driver assistance system requiring driver attention and is not fully autonomous. To expand into a broader ride-hail service in California, Tesla must obtain permits from the California Public Utilities Commission and potentially the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), which is presently challenging Tesla’s self-driving claims and vehicle sales in the state. Airports represent a lucrative market for ride-hailing and autonomous vehicle services, as demonstrated by companies like Waymo, which has operated autonomous rides at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport for two years and recently received approval to do so at San Jose airport. Tesla
robotautonomous-vehiclesTeslaride-hailingFull-Self-Drivingrobotaxitransportation-technologyTechCrunch Mobility: Tesla’s ride-hailing gambit
The article discusses Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s ongoing efforts to reposition Tesla from primarily an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer to an AI and robotics company, with a particular focus on self-driving cars and humanoid robots. Despite Tesla’s advanced EV technology and its Full Self-Driving Supervised system, fully autonomous vehicles and humanoid robots at scale remain unrealized goals. Tesla’s initial step toward this vision was the launch of a limited robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, where Tesla employees currently supervise rides, falling short of Musk’s original vision of a fully autonomous, owner-rentable robotaxi fleet. Recently, Tesla announced plans to launch a robotaxi service in California’s Bay Area, but regulatory hurdles persist. Notably, Tesla has not yet applied for the necessary permits from the California DMV to operate autonomous vehicles commercially. Instead, Tesla has started a ride-hailing service using human drivers from its own employee pool, without any autonomous driving involved. This move appears to be largely for optics, aiming to
robotautonomous-vehiclesTeslaride-hailingAIroboticselectric-vehiclesIs Waymo Worth Way More Than $45 Billion In Midst Of Tesla Robotaxi Launch? - CleanTechnica
The article from CleanTechnica discusses whether Waymo’s valuation of $45 billion is significantly undervalued in light of Tesla’s recent robotaxi trial launch in Austin, Texas. Tesla’s robotaxi service is currently limited in scale and imperfect, raising questions about the sustainability of Tesla’s $1 trillion market capitalization, which heavily factors in autonomous driving technology. The article explores multiple scenarios: if Tesla’s robotaxi capability remains suboptimal and Waymo successfully scales and turns a profit, Waymo’s valuation could be too low. However, Waymo has yet to publicly demonstrate a clear path to massive profitability, which is crucial for justifying a higher valuation. Alternatively, if Tesla rapidly improves its robotaxi technology and expands to more markets, both companies could scale significantly, but profitability remains uncertain for the robotaxi business overall. The article also notes skepticism about Tesla dominating the market due to software limitations and potential customer hesitancy tied to Elon Musk’s reputation. While Tesla’s market cap may be inflated and
robotautonomous-vehiclesrobotaxiWaymoTeslaride-hailingtransportation-technologyVoi CEO says he’s open to acquiring Bolt’s micromobility business
Voi CEO Frederik Hjelm has expressed openness to acquiring Bolt’s micromobility business, although Bolt’s scooter and bike operations are not confirmed to be for sale. Hjelm highlighted the challenges Bolt faces in excelling across multiple verticals, including ride-hailing, grocery and food delivery, and car rentals. He emphasized that micromobility is particularly difficult due to its hardware demands and lack of network effects seen in other services like food delivery or ride-hailing. Hjelm also argued that local users of dockless e-scooters and e-bikes prioritize affordability and experience over brand loyalty or the convenience of a “super app,” suggesting that brand recognition alone does not guarantee a superior user experience. Other industry executives echoed skepticism about Bolt’s micromobility strategy. Bird’s Washinushi criticized Bolt for using price as a loss leader, leveraging revenue from other business areas to subsidize micromobility growth without significant investment in operational excellence. In contrast, companies like
micromobilityelectric-scooterse-bikesshared-mobilitytransportation-technologyride-hailingurban-mobilityA Waymo Costs More, But People Love It - CleanTechnica
The article from CleanTechnica examines pricing and consumer preferences among app-based taxi services in San Francisco, focusing on Waymo, Uber, and Lyft. Data collected by the app Obi from March 25 to April 25 reveals that Waymo’s autonomous rides are consistently more expensive—about $9.50 to $11 more during peak demand—compared to UberX and Lyft. Despite the higher cost, Waymo maintains strong customer interest, with many riders willing to pay a premium for the novelty and technology of driverless cars. Obi’s survey found that 70% of Waymo users prefer driverless vehicles over human-driven ones, and roughly 43% of respondents indicated they would pay more to ride in a Waymo. The article also highlights operational differences influencing pricing. Uber and Lyft benefit from dynamic pricing models refined over years and a flexible driver-owned vehicle fleet that adjusts supply during high-demand periods, helping to moderate costs. In contrast, Waymo operates a fixed fleet of autonomous vehicles and
robotautonomous-vehiclesWaymodriverless-carstransportation-technologyride-hailingmobility-innovationWaymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft — and people are paying anyway
The article examines the pricing dynamics of Waymo’s autonomous ride-hailing service compared to traditional options like Uber and Lyft, based on a month-long data analysis in San Francisco by the app Obi. Contrary to the expectation that robotaxis would be cheaper due to lower labor costs, Waymo rides were found to be consistently more expensive, averaging $20.43 per ride compared to Lyft’s $14.44 and Uber’s $15.58. During peak hours, Waymo’s prices were about $9.50 to $11 higher than its competitors. Despite the higher cost, consumer demand remains strong, driven by excitement for the technology and a preference for driverless vehicles. The pricing variability of Waymo rides was also greater than Uber or Lyft, attributed to Waymo’s less sophisticated pricing model and a relatively fixed vehicle supply, resulting in a more direct supply-and-demand pricing approach. This model causes short trips to be disproportionately expensive—Waymo’s short rides cost roughly 31-41% more
robotautonomous-vehiclesWaymoride-hailingtransportation-technologyself-driving-carsmobility-servicesTesla files new ‘Robotaxi’ trademark applications after prior attempt stalls
robotTeslaRobotaxiautonomous-vehiclesride-hailingtrademarkself-drivingWaymo gets OK to expand robotaxi service into more of Silicon Valley
robotrobotaxiautonomous-vehiclesWaymotransportationSilicon-Valleyride-hailingTesla’s ‘Robotaxi’ and ‘Cybercab’ trademarks hit roadblocks ahead of June launch
robotIoTautonomous-vehiclesride-hailingtrademarkTeslaCybercabUber’s latest autonomous vehicle partner? Chinese startup Momenta
robotautonomous-vehiclesself-driving-technologyride-hailingpartnershipstransportationmobilityWaymo & Toyota May Collaborate On Autonomous Cars
WaymoToyotaautonomous-vehiclesride-hailingcollaborationclean-technologyself-driving-cars