Waymo Expands Austin Service to 90 Square Miles, Intensifying Robotaxi Rivalry with Tesla

Waymo has significantly expanded its autonomous vehicle service area in Austin, Texas, now covering 90 square miles. This move comes shortly after Tesla doubled its own Robotaxi geofence in the city, intensifying the competition between the two companies in the burgeoning self-driving market. The expansion by Waymo includes new neighborhoods and popular tourist destinations, aiming to offer its 24/7 service to more residents.

Austin's Autonomous Race Heats Up

The competition for autonomous vehicle dominance in Austin, Texas, has escalated with Waymo's recent, substantial expansion of its service geofence. This development follows closely on the heels of Tesla's own significant increase in its Robotaxi service area within the city.

Tesla's Initial Expansion

Earlier this week, Tesla made headlines by more than doubling its driverless Robotaxi service geofence in Austin. This expansion brought Tesla's total serviceable area to approximately 42 square miles, momentarily surpassing Waymo's previous 37 square miles. This was a notable achievement for Tesla, considering its Robotaxi platform had been operational in Austin for less than a month, compared to Waymo's presence since March.

Waymo's Bold Response

In what appears to be a direct challenge, Waymo responded by massively expanding its own geofence to an impressive 90 square miles within Austin. This expansion includes a wide array of new neighborhoods and popular locations, such as:

• Crestview

• Windsor Park

• Sunset Valley

• Franklin Park

• The Domain

• McKinney Falls State Park

Sarfraz Maredia, Global Head of Autonomous Mobility & Delivery at Uber, highlighted the significance of this expansion, stating it "unlocks another key milestone in Austin." Shweta Shrivastava, Senior Director of Product Management at Waymo, expressed excitement about offering their 24/7 service to more of the city, emphasizing Austin's rapid growth.

Broader Implications

This expansion in Austin contributes to Waymo's overall service area across the U.S., which now exceeds 700 square miles, encompassing operations in California and Arizona. The ongoing competition between Waymo and Tesla is seen as beneficial for consumers, as both companies strive to offer broader and more accessible autonomous driving services.

Key Takeaways

• Waymo expanded its Austin geofence to 90 square miles, significantly larger than Tesla's 42 square miles.

• This move is a direct response to Tesla's recent expansion of its Robotaxi service in Austin.

• Waymo's expansion includes new neighborhoods and tourist destinations, increasing accessibility.

• The competition between Waymo and Tesla is expected to benefit consumers through expanded service areas.

• Waymo's total U.S. service area now exceeds 700 square miles.