Waymo Hits +100K Weekly Rides

Welcome to the Ride AI Newsletter, your weekly digest of important events and new developments at the intersection of technology and transportation.

What You Need to Know Today

WeRide has secured permission to carry passengers in California. But the Chinese robotaxi company, which is on the verge of a $5B IPO in the US, could face regulatory scrutiny from the federal government, which is currently considering a ban on Chinese connected vehicles. 

California‘s decision to allow WeRide sets up a showdown with homegrown robotaxi leader Waymo, which just announced it is doing 100,000 paid trips per week—doubling its numbers since May.

As well, the Alphabet-backed company is expanding its coverage area in San Francisco and Los Angeles; and for the first time ever, passengers in San Francisco will be able to ride without a driver on freeways. Plus, Waymo intends to conduct more winter tests in snowy climes, like Michigan and upstate New York.

Speaking of which, Waymo’s sixth-generation self-driving car, which is being developed in partnership with Geely, will be able to handle a wider array of weather conditions while requiring fewer onboard cameras and sensors. “In part to lower the cost of each robotaxi, Waymo said it has reduced the number of cameras on board from 29 to 13 and lidar sensors from five to four.”

It’s not all smooth sailing for Waymo, though. Its driverless taxis have been honking at each other every night at a depot in San Francisco, driving neighbors crazy. The company has released multiple software patches to try to fix the problem.

An autonomous startup called Rain is using helicopters to dump water on wildfires without a pilot.

Amazon could start testing drone deliveries in the UK this year, after receiving permission from regulators for long-distance flights. 

Texas is suing GM, alleging the automaker illegally collected and sold driver data to insurance companies.

Kia and Hyundai thefts have dropped by more than 50% following a software update.

Detroit has launched a free, fully electric, autonomous shuttle service along a fixed route.

Goldman Sachs predicts that L3 partially autonomous cars will comprise 10% of new vehicle sales by 2030.

As more driverless taxis hit the road, China’s seven million ride-hailing drivers fear for the future of their jobs.

Tesla’s robotaxi delay is rattling investors.