In the competitive world of autonomous vehicles, bold moves often speak louder than words. This week, the AV race in Austin, Texas, escalated as Waymo decisively responded to Tesla’s latest Robotaxi expansion.
Tesla made headlines earlier this week by doubling the size of its Robotaxi service area in Austin. Having only operated in the city for less than a month, the company expanded its geofenced zone to about 42 square miles, overtaking Waymo’s previously established 37 square mile coverage. This unexpected surge was seen as a bold play by Tesla, especially considering Waymo had been operating in the city since March.
But the lead didn’t last long.
In what can only be described as a power move, Waymo fired back with a massive expansion of its own, extending its service area to a staggering 90 square miles. The extended coverage now includes several key neighborhoods such as Crestview, Windsor Park, Sunset Valley, and Franklin Park, as well as tourist favorites like The Domain and McKinney Falls State Park. This puts Waymo firmly ahead in Austin’s driverless race for now.
Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s Global Head of Autonomous Mobility & Delivery, framed the milestone as a major breakthrough:
“This move unlocks another key milestone in Austin as our operating territory with Waymo expands from 37 to 90 square miles, which means that even more riders can experience Waymo’s fully autonomous vehicles through the Uber app.”
Shweta Shrivastava, Waymo’s Senior Director of Product Management, also expressed excitement over the development:
“Just months after serving our first Austin riders with Uber, we’re excited to offer our 24/7 service to more of the city. The service with our partners at Uber is healthy, and we are ready for more Austinites to experience the magic of fully autonomous driving.” She also emphasized Austin’s rapid growth and Waymo’s intent to scale in parallel.
This new move doesn’t just shift the dynamic in Austin. It adds to Waymo’s growing national footprint, which now totals over 700 square miles across key states like California and Arizona.
Meanwhile, Tesla’s earlier expansion drew attention not only for its suddenness but also for the odd shape of its new geofenced region something many interpreted as both humorous and symbolic. While Tesla may have been playfully testing boundaries, Waymo’s swift and strategic reaction was no joke.
Whether Tesla will keep playing games or respond with serious growth of its own remains to be seen. One thing’s for sure: the battle for autonomous dominance is just getting started.