Business Desk 
Apr 25, 2025
Driverless ride-hailing may not make a huge difference in the face of countless autonomous vehicle brands, but Alphabet’s Waymo robotaxis up for personal ownership in future will definitely.
It emerged on Friday that individuals will be able to own Waymo's self-driving taxis, just as Tesla is gearing up to roll out its own robotaxi fleet later this year.
Waymo took off in 2009 as an ordinary Google project and has since evolved into a leader in autonomous transport, Reuters reported.
With over 700 vehicles in its fleet, 300 of which operate in San Francisco, Waymo is currently the only US company running fully driverless taxis that charge fares.
During a recent earnings call, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai hinted at expanding Waymo’s reach through consumer ownership. “There is future optionality for personal ownership,” he said, without providing any timeline or further details.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, meanwhile, took a jab at Waymo’s costs. “Teslas probably cost a quarter, 20%, of what a Waymo costs and [are] made in very high volume,” he said. Tesla’s approach uses only cameras and AI, while Waymo relies on pricier lidar and sensors for enhanced safety.
Tesla is also planning to launch its paid robotaxi service by June in Austin, Texas, with the launch in other US states also on the cards.
