June 14, 2025

Episode 307 | Autonomy Markets: Tesla Goes Driver Out, Unraveling the Tenuous Waymo Uber Relationship, Will The UK Leave the EU Behind Again?

41 minutes

This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss the start of Tesla’s driver-out operations in Austin, the tenuous relationship between Waymo and Uber, and the UK’s pmomentum on autonomous vehicle regulation, while the EU remains at a standstill.

Now that Tesla is testing is testing driver-out operations, they are one step closer to launching commercial robotaxi operations in Austin, bringing Elon Musk’s long-held vision closer to reality. What does Tesla’s impending robotaxi launch mean for Uber, Waymo and the broader robotaxi market?

Could this launch impact the relationship between Uber and Waymo? Are they true partners, competitors, or something in between? With a growing supply of vehicles in Austin and new international opportunities emerging, including in the UK, we examine the market signals that could define the next phase of their relationship and how that will impact the autonomy markets.

Episode Chapters

0:00 Waymo Suspends Service in LA

3:18 Tesla Goes Driver-Out in Austin

5:54 Boring Company

9:27 Tesla’s Focus on Safety

10:34 Uber & Waymo’s Tenuous Relationship

18:06 Uber / Wayve Partnership

20:53 Does the Uber / Wayve Partnership Put Pressure on Waymo?

22:11 Economics of the Waymo / Uber Partnership

24:00 Dedicated Waymo Uber Tier

25:32 Do Autonomous Vehicles Expand the Rideshare Market?

31:12 NHTSA Part 555 / Regulatory Update

37:19 Next Week

Recorded on Saturday, June 14, 2025

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