Tesla Opens Its Robotaxi Service in Fort Worth
The 143-square-mile zone around downtown is Tesla's third-largest driverless service area and gives it a second market in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Nov. 2, 2026
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Sadiq Khan Calls for a Cap on the Number of Robotaxis on London's Streets
The mayor says London needs powers to limit the rollout before fully driverless cars arrive, as Freenow, Uber and Waymo line up services in the capital.
Priya Nair, Safety · Nov. 2, 2026
Kodiak Signs First Binding Deal for a Carrier to Run Its Driverless Trucks on Highways
California carrier DTL Transport will own 75 trucks running the Kodiak Driver and pay a per-mile fee, starting on interstates from Dallas to El Paso and Atlanta.
Noah Park, Freight · Nov. 1, 2026
Tesla Extends Robotaxi Service Hours to 2 a.m.
The company's Robotaxi account said rides now run from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., up from 11 p.m., and listed new rider features including a rear camera view and trip sharing.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 30, 2026
Toyota Will Build Self-Driving bZ4X Robotaxis for Waymo, Starting in Japan in 2027
The companies will test an autonomous bZ4X fleet in Japan next year, with Britain and other Waymo markets to follow. Toyota will build the vehicles and install Waymo's hardware at its Takaoka plant.
Kenji Watanabe, Asia desk · Oct. 30, 2026
Charger Logistics Plans to Buy Up to 500 Aurora Driverless Trucks
The nonbinding deal calls for deliveries in 2027 and 2028, starting on the carrier's Dallas-Laredo route. Charger would own the trucks and subscribe to Aurora's self-driving system.
Noah Park, Freight · Oct. 29, 2026
Sentosa Will Offer Free Rides in Self-Driving WeRide Shuttles From Early 2027
Two eight-seat shuttles will carry visitors between 21 stops on the island's west side, with safety operators on board and remote monitoring. A second phase would expand to 27 stops if the Land Transport Authority approves.
Kenji Watanabe, Asia desk · Oct. 29, 2026
Munich's Largest Taxi Operator Plans Up to 500 Tensor Robotaxis in Germany
Münchner Taxi Zentrum would run the cars under its own brand and keep its customers and data, while Tensor sells the vehicles and the self-driving software. The deal still needs final contracts and Level 4 approval.
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Oct. 28, 2026
Tesla Expands Its Robotaxi Service Across Much of Houston's 610 Loop
Riders can now hail the company's cars in Montrose, Midtown and East Downtown, well beyond its earlier service area in northwest Houston near Jersey Village.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 28, 2026
Waymo Adds Nearly 250 Square Miles to Its Robotaxi Service in Five U.S. Cities
The company says the larger maps in Los Angeles, Nashville, Orlando, San Diego and the Bay Area will roll out over the next week, reaching places like Torrance, La Jolla and a BART station in San Jose.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 27, 2026
XPENG Wins Approval for Citywide Robotaxi Trial Operations in Guangzhou
The qualification lets the Chinese automaker run Level 4 robotaxi trials across its home city. Rides stay invitation-only for now, and XPENG says it aims to carry passengers without safety drivers next year.
Li Wei, China desk · Oct. 26, 2026
Baidu and Lyft's Freenow Plan Driverless Robotaxi Rides in London in 2027
The companies have been testing Apollo Go's RT6 with safety operators in the borough of Brent since July. Freenow says it is working with Transport for London and talking about tens of vehicles in the next year or two.
Li Wei, China desk · Oct. 25, 2026
Tesla Says Its Driverless Robotaxis Caused No Injuries in 3.1 Million Miles
The company's first public safety report covers driving with no monitor aboard from January to mid-October across six cities in Texas and Florida, and names Las Vegas, Jacksonville, Phoenix and San Antonio as coming soon.
Priya Nair, Safety · Oct. 25, 2026
Waymo Begins Driverless Rides to and From the Las Vegas Airport
Airport trips are limited at first to existing Waymo riders in Las Vegas, with pickups at Terminals 1 and 3, as Zoox, Tesla and Uber line up their own robotaxis in the city.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 22, 2026
Tesla Says It Will Start Selling Cybercabs to Customers by the End of 2026
An engineering executive said the steering-wheel-free robotaxi would reach buyers in small numbers at first, while federal regulators examine how the car was certified and Tesla readies a Dallas expansion.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 22, 2026
Waymo Plans to Launch Driverless Rides in Madrid in 2027
The Alphabet unit says its electric Jaguars will start driving in the Madrid region within days, first with people at the wheel, ahead of a fully autonomous service it hopes to open to riders next year. It is Waymo's first market in Spain.
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Oct. 20, 2026
Waymo Plans to Grow Its Fleet to 20,000 Robotaxis by End of 2027, Report Says
The Alphabet unit wants 8,000 vehicles on the road by the end of this year, up from about 4,000, and plans to pay for the growth with the $5 billion it borrowed this month, Semafor reported. Waymo declined to comment.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 20, 2026
Santa Monica Moves to Let Zoox Park Up to 150 Robotaxis in City Garages
The City Council voted 6-0 to let staff negotiate a pilot license for up to a year, with the Main Library garage the leading site. The city expects about $500,000 a year from the deal.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 19, 2026
Seoul Picks RideFlux to Run Korea's First Robotaxi With No One in the Driver's Seat
Two Genesis SUVs are expected to start carrying riders in the Sangam district in late November. A safety manager will sit in the passenger seat at first, and the city says it may go fully unmanned next year.
Kenji Watanabe, Asia desk · Oct. 19, 2026
Chennai Opens First Phase II Metro Line With Trains Built to Run Without Drivers
The 14.6-kilometer stretch carried 25,474 riders on its first day. Two operators will ride every train until the line is certified for unattended operation, which officials expect by mid-2027.
Kenji Watanabe, Asia desk · Oct. 18, 2026
Amazon's Zoox Leases 350,000 Square Feet Beside Its Hayward Robotaxi Factory
The two warehouses more than double the company's space in the East Bay city. Zoox said they will help it scale its purpose-built fleet but did not say how they will be used.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 18, 2026
Mercedes-Benz and Volvo Expand Nvidia Deals for Next Automated Driving Systems
Both carmakers will build on Nvidia's Hyperion computer, Alpamayo driving software and Halos safety system. Mercedes named Level 4 robolimousines as a goal, but neither company gave a launch date or a first model.
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Oct. 18, 2026
Rotterdam's Driverless ParkShuttle Began Carrying Commuters in 1999
Did you know that in February 1999, small electric shuttles with no driver aboard began carrying commuters between a Rotterdam metro station and the Rivium business park next door, and that their successors still do?
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 18, 2026
Slovakia Approves Tesla Full Self-Driving (Supervised) for Its Roads
The transport ministry recognized the Dutch approval of Tesla's supervised driver-assistance system. The driver stays fully responsible, and Tesla has given no rollout date or list of eligible cars.
Priya Nair, Safety · Oct. 16, 2026
Waymo Plans First Canada Robotaxi Service in Toronto for 2028
The company said it will begin manual mapping drives in Toronto in the coming days with Element Fleet Management as fleet partner, aiming to welcome its first riders in 2028.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 16, 2026
Tesla Robotaxi Filings Show Remote Operators Driving in Three Crashes
NHTSA's public ADS crash file codes three Tesla Robotaxi reports as remote commercial or test operation, including two August incidents added in the September release. All three were property damage only, with no passengers aboard.
Priya Nair, Safety · Oct. 16, 2026
São Paulo's Line 4-Yellow Became Latin America's First Driverless Metro Line in 2010
Did you know that when São Paulo opened the first stretch of Line 4-Yellow on 25 May 2010, its trains ran with no driver on board, making it the first driverless metro line in Latin America?
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Oct. 16, 2026
Minneapolis Council Fails to Override Mayor's Veto of Rule Requiring Humans in Robotaxis
The 7-5 vote fell two short of the nine needed to revive Workers Drive Minneapolis, which would have put a paid monitor in the driver's seat of every driverless ride. Its authors say they are starting over.
Priya Nair, Safety · Oct. 15, 2026
Taisei and TIER IV to Test Three Self-Driving Vehicles in a Tunnel for Japan's Unmanned Freight Road
The eight-day trial at a government test track, set for late October and early November, will check how several vehicles share a lane built for freight and how much sensing gear such a road can do without.
Noah Park, Freight · Oct. 15, 2026
Incheon Plans Late-Night Self-Driving Bus on BRT Route to Seoul From Late 2027
The city says one 42-seat electric bus will start on the 23.8-kilometer Cheongna to Gangseo line in the second half of 2027, with a safety worker aboard, if the route wins pilot-zone status.
Kenji Watanabe, Asia desk · Oct. 15, 2026
Honolulu's Skyline Became the First Driverless Metro in the United States in 2023
Did you know that when Honolulu's Skyline opened on 30 June 2023, its builder Hitachi Rail and the city's own transit agencies billed it as the first fully driverless metro in the United States?
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Oct. 15, 2026
Waymo Opens Driverless Rides to Anyone in San Antonio, San Diego and Tampa
Anyone can now hail a fully autonomous Waymo in the three cities with no waitlist, including trips to San Antonio International Airport, the company said Wednesday.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 15, 2026
Uber, Pony.ai and Verne Begin Testing Robotaxis in Manchester
Uber said Pony.ai's seventh-generation robotaxis, run with the Croatian operator Verne, are now testing in the city, six days after the companies named London. They did not say how many cars are on the road, whether a safety driver is aboard or when riders can book.
Li Wei, China desk · Oct. 14, 2026
Waymo Begins Driverless Rides to and From Nashville International Airport
Pickups and drop-offs started Tuesday for a limited group of riders, making Nashville the fifth airport Waymo serves. The company says it will open airport trips to all riders gradually.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 14, 2026
Tampa International Airport Opened the World's First Driverless Airport Shuttle in 1971
Did you know that when Tampa International Airport opened on 15 April 1971, its automated shuttles became the first driverless people movers to carry passengers inside an airport anywhere in the world?
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Oct. 14, 2026
Singapore Drops Plan to Put Six Driverless Buses on Two Public Bus Routes
The Land Transport Authority will not run the autonomous buses it bought on services 400 and 191 and will look first at narrower uses such as employee shuttles. Only one of the six buses has passed its basic closed-circuit test.
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Oct. 13, 2026
Tokyo Police to Set Up Japan's First Unit for Self-Driving Permits and Crash Investigations
The Metropolitan Police Department plans to open an autonomous driving office next spring to vet Level 4 permit applications and investigate crashes, ahead of a planned 2027 launch of driverless taxis in the capital by Waymo and its Japanese partners.
Kenji Watanabe, Asia desk · Oct. 13, 2026
Lausanne's Driverless M2 Climbs the World's Steepest Metro Gradient
Did you know that Lausanne's M2, Switzerland's first metro, opened on 27 October 2008 with fully automated trains that climb up to 12 percent grades, the steepest of any metro line in the world?
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 13, 2026
London Assembly Committee Asks Ministers to Let TfL License and Cap Robotaxis
A Transport Committee report says it has not heard enough evidence that London should welcome driverless taxi services, and wants Transport for London to issue, condition and withdraw permits once fuller national rules arrive in 2027.
Priya Nair, Safety · Oct. 12, 2026
NHTSA Reviews Petition Alleging Tesla Robotaxis Speed in Active School Zones
The safety agency opened a review covering an estimated 1,000 Model Y and Cybercab robotaxis after a petitioner submitted three videos. It has not decided whether to open a formal investigation.
Priya Nair, Safety · Oct. 12, 2026
Tesla Shows Cybercab in Europe for the First Time at Paris Motor Show
A two-seat robotaxi from the company's U.S. fleet is parked on Tesla's stand for the show's press day. Visitors can look but not ride, and Tesla has announced no plan to run the car in Europe.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 12, 2026
Miami Metromover Has Run Without Drivers Since 1986
Did you know that Miami-Dade County's Metromover opened on 17 April 1986 as an elevated downtown loop of automated cars with nobody at the controls, and has carried riders for free since a 2002 transit tax vote?
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Oct. 12, 2026
Dubai Begins Four-Week Trial of Glydways Driverless Pods at Bluewaters
The Roads and Transport Authority launched a trial of autonomous electric pods on dedicated guideways at Bluewaters Island, with Director General Mattar Al Tayer taking a five-minute ride to mark the start.
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Oct. 11, 2026
Auve Tech Runs Airport Shuttles at Tallinn Without an Onboard Safety Operator
The Estonian company demonstrated its MiCa electric shuttle under remote supervision at Tallinn Airport after winning authorization in August to remove the safety operator from passenger runs for Magnetic MRO.
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Oct. 7, 2026
Yurikamome Opened as Tokyo's First Fully Driverless Transit System in 1995
Did you know that on 1 November 1995 Tokyo opened Yurikamome, its first fully automated guideway transit line, with rubber-tyred trains and nobody in the cab from Shimbashi toward the Rinkai waterfront?
Kenji Watanabe, Asia desk · Oct. 11, 2026
Tesla Says It Has More Than 300 Cybercabs Serving Austin, With Dallas Next
The company says its steering-wheel-free robotaxi fleet grew eightfold in the month since paid rides began, and an executive said Dallas is next, as NHTSA's review of the car's certification continues.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 10, 2026
XPENG Opens Invitation Registration for YOYO Robotaxi Rides in Guangzhou
The Chinese automaker named its robotaxi service XPENG YOYO and opened invitation-code sign-ups so people outside the company can apply to ride in Guangzhou, after more than 2,000 internal trips and a remote road-test permit.
Li Wei, China desk · Oct. 9, 2026
Kodiak and Charger Begin Autonomous Freight Runs Between Dallas and Laredo
Trucks fitted with Kodiak's system are hauling refrigerated and dry goods on a 435-mile Texas lane to the busiest U.S. land port. A safety driver is still aboard while the companies prepare for driverless service.
Noah Park, Freight · Oct. 9, 2026
Sydney Metro Northwest Opened as Australia's First Driverless Metro in 2019
Did you know that on 26 May 2019 Australia opened its first fully automated metro, the Metro North West Line from Tallawong to Chatswood, with Alstom trains, platform screen doors and nobody in the cab?
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Oct. 9, 2026
Pony.ai Says It Will Start Testing Robotaxis in London With Uber Within Weeks
The Chinese company said its seventh-generation robotaxis are coming to London through its Uber partnership, joining Wayve and Baidu's Apollo Go on the city's streets. It did not say how many cars, who will run them or when riders can book.
Li Wei, China desk · Oct. 8, 2026
U.S. Lets Driverless Trucks Use Cab-Mounted Beacons Instead of Warning Triangles for Five Years
Companies running trucks with no one aboard can use flashing lights on the cab instead of having a person set out reflective triangles when a truck stops. The decision replaces a run of three-month waivers.
Noah Park, Freight · Oct. 8, 2026
Two Mercedes Sedans Drove Themselves More Than 1,000 Kilometers Around Paris in 1994
Did you know that 32 years ago this month, two camera-guided Mercedes sedans built by Ernst Dickmanns' team and Daimler-Benz drove in ordinary traffic outside Paris at up to 130 km/h, changing lanes and passing other cars?
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Oct. 8, 2026
Alstom and Vingroup Agree to Build 200 Driverless Metro Trains for Hanoi
The first 83 five-car trains will be built in France and the other 117 assembled in Vietnam under a technology license. The companies did not give a price or a delivery schedule.
Kenji Watanabe, Asia desk · Oct. 7, 2026
Einride Cab-less Trucks Begin Daily Driverless Freight Runs for EASE Logistics in Ohio
Two electric trucks with no cab and no one aboard shuttle loads between EASE warehouses in Marysville, watched by remote operators in Texas. The route is short and includes a brief stretch of public road.
Noah Park, Freight · Oct. 7, 2026
Putrajaya Starts RM1 Autonomous Electric Bus Service on Route P113
The six-stop weekday loop links the MRT Putrajaya Sentral station with ministries and the Palace of Justice. Officials have not said whether a safety operator rides aboard.
Kenji Watanabe, Asia desk · Oct. 7, 2026
No Robot Finished DARPA's First Self-Driving Desert Race in 2004
Did you know not one of the 15 robot vehicles in the 2004 DARPA Grand Challenge made it even eight miles across the Mojave, and the $1 million prize went unclaimed?
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 7, 2026
Waymo Begins Fully Driverless Operations in Detroit, With Rides Open Only to Employees
The cars now drive downtown and in nearby neighborhoods with no one behind the wheel. Waymo says public riders will follow once it has validated the technology in the city.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 7, 2026
Denver Police Cannot Ticket Driverless Waymos, and a Colorado Lawmaker Plans a Bill to Change That
Colorado's 2017 autonomous vehicle law gives officers no way to cite a car with no one behind the wheel. State Rep. Jenny Willford says she will bring a bill in the 2027 session.
Priya Nair, Safety · Oct. 6, 2026
UAE Expects More Than 10,000 Autonomous Taxis and Delivery Vans on Its Roads Next Year
Faisal Al Bannai, an adviser to the UAE President, said orders for the vehicles have already been placed and that the country would become the largest deployer of autonomous taxis and vans outside China.
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Oct. 6, 2026
San Francisco Will Block Robotaxi Pickups Along Its Northern Waterfront During Fleet Week
The geofence, in force from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday, also bars driverless ride service from the Presidio. Uber, Lyft and taxis face no such limits.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 6, 2026
A Carnegie Mellon Minivan Steered Itself 98 Percent of the Way Across America in 1995
Did you know a Carnegie Mellon minivan called Navlab 5 steered itself for 2,797 miles on a 1995 road trip to San Diego, while the two researchers aboard worked only the pedals?
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Oct. 6, 2026
Volvo and Waabi Begin Hauling Customer Freight for Warp Between Dallas and Houston
The Volvo VNL Autonomous trucks, running Waabi's self-driving software, are the partnership's first customer operation. An observer still rides in the driver's seat, and neither company has said when that will end.
Noah Park, Freight · Oct. 5, 2026
Uber Has Invested in Croatian Robotaxi Company Verne, Its Chief Executive Confirms
Marko Pejković confirmed the stake a week after Uber's Dara Khosrowshahi rode a Verne robotaxi with no safety driver in Zagreb. Neither company has disclosed the size or terms.
Li Wei, China desk · Oct. 5, 2026
Deliveroo to Roll Out Coco Delivery Robots in Five UK Areas, Starting in London's Canary Wharf
Chief executive Miki Kuusi told The Times the pavement robots, built by the U.S. company Coco, will add to Deliveroo's riders rather than replace them. Milton Keynes, Leeds, Stockton-on-Tees and Nottingham are also on the list.
Noah Park, Freight · Oct. 4, 2026
Rio Tinto's AutoHaul Became the World's First Autonomous Heavy-Haul Rail Network in 2018
Did you know some of the longest driverless machines on Earth are iron ore trains in Western Australia, watched from an operations centre in Perth more than 1,500 kilometres away?
Noah Park, Freight · Oct. 5, 2026
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey Vetoes Ordinance Requiring Human Monitors in Robotaxis
Frey called the council's Workers Drive Minneapolis measure a back door ban, a day after it passed 7-6. Supporters need nine votes to override him.
Priya Nair, Safety · Oct. 4, 2026
Volkswagen Picks Wayve Over Nvidia as Its Self-Driving Software Partner, Der Spiegel Reports
The London start-up won an internal comparison on technology and price, according to the magazine. No contract has been signed, and the choice could also shape Volkswagen's MOIA robotaxi unit.
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Oct. 4, 2026
Momenta Plans Robotaxis in Dubai Next Year and a Fleet of Several Thousand by End of 2027
The Mercedes-backed Chinese company has more than 100 robotaxis in three countries and is in talks with a few European cities, the head of its robotaxi business told Reuters.
Li Wei, China desk · Oct. 4, 2026
Seoul Plans 500 Level 4 Autonomous City Buses by 2030 Under Deal With Hyundai and Kia
Hyundai and Kia will build buses designed for self-driving systems and a platform to control them, with operation on regular routes targeted as early as 2029.
Kenji Watanabe, Asia desk · Oct. 4, 2026
Evri Starts Trial of Two-Legged Parcel Delivery Robot in Barnsley
The robot, built by Refined Robotics, can climb stairs and carry parcels of up to 15 kilograms, Evri said, in a trial the courier describes as Europe's first for a two-legged delivery robot.
Noah Park, Freight · Oct. 4, 2026
Tesla Extends Austin Robotaxi Hours to 11 p.m. as Texas Cybercab Count Reaches 169
Elon Musk said spotting small animals at night is the main obstacle to later service, as NHTSA confirmed Tesla received more time to answer its Cybercab audit.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 4, 2026
California Law Will Penalize Robotaxi Companies Whose Vehicles Block First Responders
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 1246, which requires U.S.-based remote drivers and on-call local incident technicians for driverless fleets starting July 1, 2028.
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Oct. 4, 2026
Lyft Opens Nashville Depot Built to Charge and Service Hundreds of Waymo Robotaxis
The 80,000-square-foot site near the airport, run by Lyft's Flexdrive unit, is set to begin receiving Waymo vehicles on Oct. 12.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 4, 2026
Kodiak Names IKEA as Launch Customer for Driverless Trucks on Texas I-45
The autonomous trucking company says runs with no one in the cab will start later this year between Houston and Dallas, on a lane where it has hauled IKEA freight for four years.
Noah Park, Freight · Oct. 4, 2026
Singapore's North East Line Was the World's First Fully Automated Heavy-Rail Metro
Did you know Singapore opened the world's first fully automated underground heavy-rail metro in 2003, with empty cabs and platform screen doors from day one?
Kenji Watanabe, Asia desk · Oct. 4, 2026
Motional Open-Sources nuReasoning, a Dataset of 20,000 Long-Tail Driving Clips
The Hyundai-backed robotaxi company is releasing more than 105 hours of rare driving scenes, each annotated with why a vehicle acted as it did.
Priya Nair, Safety · Oct. 4, 2026
Lyon Metro Line D Was the World's First Large-Profile Driverless Line
Did you know the world's first large-profile driverless metro opened in France with full-size rubber-tyred trains and no platform screen doors?
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Oct. 2, 2026
Minneapolis Council Passes Ordinance Requiring Human Monitors in Robotaxis
The City Council narrowly approved an ordinance Thursday that would require a licensed human safety monitor in the driver's seat of commercial driverless rideshares, a 7-6 vote that now goes to Mayor Jacob Frey, who has called the measure a backdoor ban.
Priya Nair, Safety · Oct. 1, 2026
Nuremberg's U2 Became the First Metro Line Converted to Driverless Operation
Did you know a German city took an ordinary crewed subway line that had carried passengers with drivers since 1984 and turned the whole route into a fully automatic, driverless metro without shutting service for the rebuild?
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Oct. 1, 2026
Paris Metro Line 14 Has Run Without a Driver Since 1998
Did you know the French capital opened a brand-new metro line on 15 October 1998 with fully automated, driverless trains from the first passenger trip, complete with platform screen doors at every station?
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Sept. 30, 2026
Empty Cab Since Day One: Copenhagen Metro Has Run Driverless Since 2002
Did you know Denmark's capital opened a fully automated metro on 19 October 2002 with nobody in the driver's cab, and that those trains have run at Grade of Automation 4 ever since?
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 29, 2026
Dubai Opens Self-Driving Test Ground Where Tesla, WeRide and Pony.ai Have Run Trials
Dubai's transport authority has opened a proving ground for self-driving vehicles where, it says, Tesla and the Chinese robotaxi companies WeRide and Pony.ai have already run trials, as the emirate works to move autonomous cars out of pilot zones and into everyday traffic.
Priya Nair, Safety · Sept. 29, 2026
Front Seat View Since 1987: London's DLR Has Run Without a Driver
Did you know London's Docklands Light Railway has carried passengers without a driver in the cab since it opened in 1987, with a seat at the front for anyone who wants the view?
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Sept. 28, 2026
Musk Predicts AI Will Drive 90% of Miles Within a Decade as Robotaxi Fleets Number in the Thousands
Elon Musk told a mobility conference in May that within a decade, driving your own car would be "quite a niche thing." Four months later, the clearest test of that forecast is playing out on streets like Austin's, where Waymo and Tesla robotaxis circulate with no one behind the wheel.
Analysis · By Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 27, 2026
Empty Cab in the Gulf: Dubai Metro Has Run Driverless Since 2009
Did you know Dubai opened a fully driverless metro at 9 minutes and 9 seconds past 9 pm on 9 September 2009, with nobody in a driver's seat from day one?
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 27, 2026
Nissan Driver Hospitalized After Crash With Empty Zoox Robotaxi on Las Vegas Strip
A Nissan SUV and a driverless Zoox robotaxi with no one aboard collided on the Las Vegas Strip on Friday morning, sending the SUV's driver to a hospital on the same day a state limit on the size of Zoox's Nevada fleet was set to expire.
Priya Nair, Safety · Sept. 26, 2026
No Driver in the Cab: Vancouver's SkyTrain Has Run Driverless Since 1985
Did you know Metro Vancouver's SkyTrain has carried passengers without a driver in the cab since December 11, 1985, when the Expo Line opened as a showcase for Expo 86?
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Sept. 25, 2026
Waymo Opens Driverless Freeway Rides to Uber Passengers in Austin
Waymo has begun offering fully autonomous freeway rides in Austin to passengers who book through Uber, expanding a service that until now was limited to surface streets in the Texas capital.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 24, 2026
Empty Cab in the Desert: Masdar City Opened the World's First Public PRT in 2010
Did you know the world's first personal rapid transit system open to the general public started carrying passengers in Masdar City on November 28, 2010, months before Heathrow's airport pods welcomed the public?
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 24, 2026
Empty Cab at the Gate: Heathrow Pods Have Run Driverless Since 2011
Did you know Heathrow Terminal 5 has been moving Business Car Park passengers in small, battery-electric pods with nobody at a wheel since April 2011?
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Sept. 23, 2026
Empty Cab in Europe: Lille's VAL Metro Has Run Driverless Since 1983
Did you know Europe's first fully automated metro opened in northern France in 1983, with rubber-tired trains and nobody in a driver's seat?
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 21, 2026
FairPrice AV Lead Proposes Singapore Passport for Explainable Self-Driving Systems
Adarsh Premnath, FairPrice Group's manager for future mobility, published a LinkedIn Pulse white paper proposing a Singapore AV Passport as a cross-border certification benchmark built on explainability and public trust.
Kenji Watanabe, Asia desk · Sept. 21, 2026
Zurich Airport Runs WeRide Shuttles Without Onboard Safety Drivers
Zurich Airport said two WeRide Robobus employee shuttles are now running fully automated on the airfield with no safety driver on board, monitored from a remote cockpit, after the first fully automated trips began in early September.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 21, 2026
Spotters See Roughly 70 Cybercabs Staged at Houston Robotaxi Lot
Spotters say Tesla's Houston Robotaxi lot looked fuller than ever on Sept. 19, with validation Model Ys, validation Cybercabs, and at least roughly 70 Cybercabs packing the yard in what Robotaxi Radar described as more than a handful of test units staged for deployment.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 20, 2026
Steel City Shift: Waymo Now Drives Itself in Pittsburgh With Safety Drivers Still Onboard
Waymo said its vehicles are now driving fully autonomously on Pittsburgh roads with a trained safety technician still in the driver's seat, a step beyond the manual mapping runs that began late last year.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 20, 2026
Empty Cab on Campus: Morgantown's PRT Has Run Driverless Since 1975
Did you know West Virginia University has been running driverless campus shuttles since 1975, years before the first public robotaxi and before Google even existed?
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Sept. 20, 2026
Private Hire Path: Wayve and Uber Open London's First Autonomous Rides With Drivers Still Onboard
Uber and Wayve began offering supervised autonomous rides in London in early September, matching paying passengers to Wayve-driven Mach-E vehicles with a licensed private hire driver still in every seat.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 20, 2026
Empty Cab, Full Line: Sydney Clears Unattended Driverless Metro Trials Before Southwest Opening
Metro Trains Sydney has approval to run driverless trials with no supervisor on board on the Sydenham-Bankstown stretch, a month from the targeted Southwest Metro opening, the Herald reported.
Kenji Watanabe, Asia desk · Sept. 18, 2026
Level 2 Loophole: Tesla Cybercabs Cruise NYC Without AV Permits
New York City DOT says Tesla's supervised Cybercab runs are Level 2 driver assistance, not Level 4 autonomy, so the company needs no AV testing permit, Gothamist reported.
Priya Nair, Safety · Sept. 18, 2026
Empty Cab, Full Cars: Kobe Ran Driverless Transit in 1981
Did you know Kobe's Port Liner opened in 1981 as the world's first driverless urban transit system, more than two years before Lille's VAL metro?
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Sept. 18, 2026
Cap Comes Off: Zoox Cleared Past Nevada's 100-Robotaxi Limit
A Nevada Transportation Authority permit that capped Zoox at 100 robotaxis in the state expires Sept. 25, TechCrunch reported, opening room to grow the paid Las Vegas fleet.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 18, 2026
Southeast Asia Opens: Waymo Targets Singapore Robotaxis by 2028
Alphabet's Waymo said it will bring fully autonomous, all-electric ride-hailing to Singapore in 2028, its first Southeast Asia market, after Jaguar I-PACE vehicles arrive for mapping and monsoon-readiness work.
Kenji Watanabe, Asia desk · Sept. 18, 2026
Hyundai to Build Tens of Thousands of Ioniq 5s for Waymo in Georgia
Hyundai Motor CEO Jose Muñoz said the automaker will mass-produce tens of thousands of Ioniq 5 robotaxis for Waymo at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Georgia, with the first vehicles destined for more than testing due in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 17, 2026
Back From the Flood: Waymo Restarts San Antonio Rides With Water-Avoidance Upgrades
Waymo has restarted paid robotaxi service in San Antonio five months after a flash flood swept an empty vehicle off the road, with software and map changes aimed at standing water, TechCrunch and local outlets reported.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 17, 2026
Competency Over Controls: NHTSA Banks ASCEND for National AV Performance Standards
NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison said the agency has signed a cooperative agreement with SAE to launch ASCEND, a consortium whose top priority is ADS competency standards that can become an FMVSS.
Priya Nair, Safety · Sept. 17, 2026
West VIP to Zoox Bar: Company Pitches T-Mobile Arena Guest Journey
Amazon-owned Zoox is pitching T-Mobile Arena as a full guest journey, pairing a dedicated West VIP robotaxi pickup zone with an in-arena Zoox bar, on a partnership announced in December 2025.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 17, 2026
No Wheel Needed: A Blind Rider Took the World's First Fully Driverless Trip
Did you know the world's first fully driverless ride on public roads was taken by a passenger who could not see the road at all?
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Sept. 17, 2026
Fleet on Paper: Bolt Aims for 25,000 Lucid Robotaxis Across Europe
Lucid and Bolt said they will co-develop an ADS-ready Level 4 platform for Europe, with Bolt aiming to own and run at least 25,000 Lucid vehicles as a step toward 100,000 autonomous vehicles by 2035.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 17, 2026
Look, Don't Ride: Tesla Parks Cybercab in China With No Sale, No Robotaxi
Tesla China said Cybercab static displays in Beijing and Shanghai do not involve selling the vehicle or launching driverless ride-hailing in the country.
Li Wei, China desk · Sept. 17, 2026
From Waymo's Books to Wayve's Bet: Ex-CFO Elisa de Martel Joins $8.5B Startup
Wayve named former Waymo chief financial officer Elisa de Martel as CFO, as the London startup moves from testing toward robotaxi and passenger-vehicle deployment.
Harper Quinn, Live desk · Sept. 16, 2026
Risk Partners: Waymo Brings Allianz Into Its Europe Robotaxi Build
Allianz Partners will handle fleet insurance, digital claims and safety research for Waymo's London and Munich expansion, the companies said.
Priya Nair, Safety · Sept. 16, 2026
Hardware Cut 70%: Pony.ai and GAC Unveil Gen-4 L4 Robotruck at IAA
Pony.ai showed a Gen-4 Level 4 heavy truck on GAC Commercial Vehicle's T9 electric platform at IAA Transportation 2026, with autonomous-kit costs down 70% and volume production due later this year.
Noah Park, Freight · Sept. 16, 2026
Empty Front Seat: Pony.ai and Verne Open Europe's First Fully Driverless Rides
Invited passengers can take fully driverless robotaxi test rides on public roads in Zagreb, the first such passenger service in Europe with nobody in the driver's seat.
Li Wei, China desk · Sept. 16, 2026
Tokyo's First Empty Cab: Waymo Aims for Driverless Taxis in 2027
Alphabet’s Waymo, Japanese taxi-app operator GO, and taxi company Nihon Kotsu said they aim to launch Japan’s first fully autonomous commercial taxi service in Tokyo in 2027.
Kenji Watanabe, Asia desk · Sept. 15, 2026
Rain Check: Viral Waymo Storm Clip Revives Musk’s LiDAR Dig
A rain-slick Waymo clip paired with Elon Musk's old line that LiDAR scatters in precipitation is circulating again as Waymo opens in wet markets and Tesla posts its own storm videos.
Priya Nair, Safety · Sept. 15, 2026
Under Oath: NHTSA Orders Tesla to Prove Cybercab Is Legal to Sell
An audit query is a request. A Special Order is a legal demand. NHTSA has escalated its review of how Tesla certified a robotaxi with no steering wheel, pedals, or mirrors.
Priya Nair, Safety · Sept. 15, 2026
No Cab, No Driver: Einride and Lidl Put Germany's First Cab-less Truck on Public Roads
Einride and Lidl have put the first cab-less SAE Level 4 autonomous truck into daily operations on a public road in Germany, under a first-of-its-kind permit from the Federal Motor Transport Authority.
Noah Park, Freight · Sept. 15, 2026
Stickers Only: Motional Rolls Singapore-Built IONIQ 5 Robotaxis Into Vegas
Motional said Monday that fully assembled IONIQ 5 robotaxis are arriving at its Las Vegas Technical Center straight from the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore, needing little more than Motional branding before autonomous ops prep.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 15, 2026
Empty Cab by Year-End: Torc Pins Driver-Out US Roads on 2026
Daimler Truck said Torc aims to run a heavy truck on public U.S. roads with nobody in the cab before the end of 2026, then first commercial freight in 2027.
Noah Park, Freight · Sept. 14, 2026
High Rollers, Empty Front Seat: Waymo Opens Public Robotaxis on the Strip
Waymo has begun to open its robotaxi service to the public in Las Vegas, inviting riders on a rolling basis a few weeks after Nevada transportation regulators gave final approval.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 14, 2026
Spain's First L4 Ticket: WeRide, Uber and AVOMO Cleared for Madrid Roads
Spain's Directorate General of Traffic issued the country's first national Level 4 permit for passenger AVs, covering 20 WeRide GXR vehicles in Greater Madrid under the ES-AV framework.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 10, 2026
Tesla Opens Cybercab Ride-Hailing in Austin
Customers in Austin can now book the two-seat, steering-wheel-free Cybercab in Tesla’s Robotaxi app. Texas lists 45 of the vehicles against a much larger Model Y robotaxi fleet.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 4, 2026
NHTSA Opens Audit of Tesla Cybercab Self-Certification
The U.S. safety regulator is examining the process and technical data Tesla used to certify a robotaxi with no steering wheel or pedals, hours after commercial rides began in Austin.
Priya Nair, Safety · Sept. 4, 2026
DiDi Starts Driverless Trials of Next-Gen R2 in Beijing and Guangzhou
DiDi Autonomous Driving opened fully driverless service trials of its R2 robotaxi, built with GAC Aion, for bookings in selected demonstration zones via the DiDi app.
Li Wei, China desk · Sept. 3, 2026