Artificial intelligence is transforming the way people interact with their computers and other smart machines. How much will it also affect the way the public commutes to work, school, and elsewhere?
Leading the change are well-known companies, such as Waymo and Tesla, and a host of other enterprises, each intent on making the human driver unnecessary for transporting people to their destinations.
Waymo
The current leader in autonomous ridesharing in the US is Waymo, a part of Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company. The business benefits greatly by being under the parentage of a global powerhouse with deep pockets.
For example, in June of 2024, Alphabet agreed to allocate another $5 billion to Waymo’s growth. Then, in the fall of 2024, Waymo received an additional commitment of $5.6 billion in funding from investors.
It may be a natural reflex to think of Waymo and Uber as competitors, but innovation makes strange bedfellows. The two companies have combined resources to offer autonomous ridesharing in Austin, TX. Waymo uses its technology to operate the vehicles while Uber provides the online booking service required for reserving trips.
Waymo has driverless programs operating in several other large metropolitan areas, including Los Angeles and Miami. Plans for 2025 include expansion of its services in Austin and Atlanta.
Engineers and programmers have an easier time creating autonomous vehicles that work well in spacious parts of the US not burdened with cramped and complex roadways. The real challenge is getting the vehicles to operate smoothly in the more congested and tricky streets of the northeast. Two of the areas Waymo is currently testing are New York City and Washington, DC.
For 2024, Waymo reported an average of 250,000 trips per week. Then, in May 2025, the company announced it had reached the milestone of 10 million trips.
Tesla
Tesla is playing catch-up to Waymo, as the company looks to get its Tesla Robotaxi program underway in Austin in 2025. The company plans to roll out slowly with a starting lineup of only 10 vehicles.
According to reports, investors remain confident in Tesla’s long-term outlook, believing the robotaxi service will make the company’s stock more appealing. However, the company has to overcome questions surrounding its technology. Early accidents have drawn the attention of federal agencies that won’t sign off on the venture until they’re assured of public safety.
Other Autonomous Vehicle Companies
The autonomous vehicle market is attractive to other giant companies with familiar names, but also to scrappy smaller firms. Beep, a Florida-based company, will soon operate a robotaxi service in Atlanta. Local authorities approved autonomous vehicles for its West End area in June 2025.
The big American automobile companies are represented in the autonomous rideshare space by General Motors’ Cruise venture which is legally permitted to operate in San Francisco. Plans include joining the ever-popular Austin and Phoenix areas.
The Future of Autonomous Ridesharing
Experts predict three-fourths of the largest American cities will have some form of autonomous taxi as early as 2026. To reach that point, companies will have to deal with two primary issues.
First, companies must find a way to comply with a mix of federal, state, and local regulations before operating. The situation can become even more complex if the vehicle has to crisscross jurisdictions with conflicting rules. And while thus far, these vehicles have been very safe, with more miles ridden, there will be more chances for accidents. Accidents with robotaxis can raise many legal questions, specifically determining liability in a crash.
Second, the general public has to become more accepting of the technology. Presently, the thrill of taking an autonomous ride is generally the domain of early adopters.
Real-life experiences of uneventful, predictable, and safe robotaxi service have to eventually outnumber the inevitable viral stories of things going wrong. According to a JD Powers survey, people who’ve ridden in the cars have nearly double the trust in the technology than non-riders.