Tesla’s Robotaxi Geofence Expansion in Austin Surpasses Waymo Once Again
Tesla made a significant move on Tuesday morning by expanding its Robotaxi geofence in Austin, Texas, surpassing its rival Waymo in the ongoing battle for dominance in the driverless ride-sharing service sector.
The competition between Tesla and Waymo in Austin has been intense, with both companies continuously expanding their service areas to outdo each other, ultimately benefiting consumers in the region.
Today, Tesla once again expanded its Robotaxi geofence, pushing it past Waymo’s service area in Austin by a considerable margin. The new geofence now covers approximately 171 square miles of Austin’s downtown and suburbs, more than double the size of Waymo’s 90 square mile geofence.
Back in July, Tesla had initially overtaken Waymo in terms of service area in Austin, prompting a swift response from Waymo, who expanded their geofence from 37 to 90 square miles. This back-and-forth competition has been a driving force for innovation in the autonomous vehicle industry.
Uber’s Global Head of Autonomous Mobility & Delivery, Sarfraz Maredia, commented on Waymo’s expansion, stating that it unlocked a key milestone in Austin, allowing more riders to experience Waymo’s fully autonomous vehicles through the Uber app.
Tesla’s latest expansion not only includes suburban areas but also incorporates Gigafactory Texas into its service area, marking a significant milestone in the company’s Robotaxi platform growth.
With Waymo likely to respond to Tesla’s latest move, the competition between the two companies is expected to continue driving innovation and advancements in autonomous vehicle technology.