How Tesla’s robotaxi efforts stack up against Waymo and Zoox

(Reuters) – Electric car maker Tesla started a trial of its long-awaited robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, the first step toward what could be a showdown with Alphabet’s (GOOGL.O) Waymo, the only player currently offering fully autonomous paid rides in the United States.

Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk has started off with about 10 Model Ys and promised to focus on safety. He says Tesla could scale quickly, and he plans a separate robotaxi vehicle.

Social media influencers were seen booking and taking rides in the robotaxis in several Austin locations on Sunday, according to videos reposted by Musk.

Here is how Tesla’s cybercab efforts compare with those of Waymo and Amazon.com-owned Zoox, which is preparing its own commercial launch:

LOCATIONS

Locations where Waymo and Tesla operate their robotaxis in the United States
Locations where Waymo and Tesla operate their robotaxis in the United States
VEHICLE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
Feature
Waymo
Tesla
Zoox
Vehicle Type
Jaguar I-Pace
Model Y
Custom built bidirectional pod
Steering wheel
Yes
Yes in current test
No
Autonomous technology
LiDAR, cameras, radars
Cameras
LiDAR, cameras, radars
Autonomy level
Level 4 – autonomous within limits
Testing Level 4
Testing Level 4
Launch of paid service
2018
2025
Expected later in 2025
Teleoperation – human guidance or control
Yes
Yes
Yes
Rides/vehicles
More than 250,000 rides a week
About 10 vehicles
More than 20 vehicles in testing phase

Reporting by Zaheer Kachwala in Bengaluru; Editing by Chris Reese