Alphabet's Waymo announced plans to partner with Japanese taxi app operator GO and taxi company Nihon Kotsu to launch Japan's first fully autonomous commercial taxi service in Tokyo in 2027. The expansion marks Waymo's first international city for commercial driverless rides, pending regulatory approval.
Tesla began paid customer rides in its purpose-built Cybercab robotaxi in Austin, Texas on September 3, 2026. The two-seater vehicle has no steering wheel or pedals and operates through Tesla's Robotaxi app. Federal safety regulators opened an investigation the following day.
Tesla deployed dozens of autonomous Cybercabs without steering wheels or brake pedals onto Austin, Texas streets on Thursday, marking a major test of whether Americans will embrace fully driverless vehicles. The gold-colored robotaxis feature butterfly doors and seat two passengers.
Chinese autonomous driving company Pony.ai announced plans to deploy over 4,000 robotaxis internationally through a major partnership with Uber, driving significant stock gains following a 691% surge in robotaxi revenue. The expansion marks the company's push beyond its home market amid growing competition in autonomous vehicle technology.
Chinese autonomous driving company WeRide is considering expansion into Australia, South Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asian markets, according to its CEO. The move comes as the robotaxi developer reports surging overseas revenue in Q2 2026.
Transport for London granted private hire vehicle licenses to Uber Technologies Inc. and UK startup Wayve Technologies Ltd., allowing them to offer self-driving taxi rides with a safety driver present. The approval makes them the first companies authorized for autonomous taxi services in London, ahead of competitors Waymo and Baidu.
Amazon's autonomous vehicle unit Zoox will begin charging fares for robotaxi rides in Las Vegas starting August 10, following federal approval to operate vehicles without human controls. This marks the first commercial deployment of fully autonomous robotaxis in the United States.
Amazon's autonomous vehicle unit Zoox has secured approval from US auto safety regulators for limited commercial deployment of its steering-wheel-free robotaxis, marking the first such authorization in the autonomous ride industry.
Alphabet's autonomous driving unit Waymo is considering options to exit its robotaxi partnership with Uber Technologies as relations between the two companies deteriorate amid increasing competition in the self-driving vehicle market.
