Key facts
- Autnmy AI has launched the "Road to Autonomy Index" to rank autonomous vehicle companies globally.
- Baidu's Apollo Go program leads the robotaxi index, followed by Waymo, Pony.ai, and WeRide.
- Tesla is ranked fifth in the robotaxi index.
- Waymo has increased its autonomous vehicle fleet in Texas to 620.
- Tesla's autonomous vehicle fleet in Texas saw a 64% increase in less than a month.
- Waymo recalled approximately 4,000 robotaxis due to an issue with navigating highway construction zones.
A new benchmarking system called the "Road to Autonomy Index," developed by advisory and research startup Autnmy AI, aims to provide real-time rankings of autonomous vehicle companies. The index utilizes a generative AI platform to analyze publicly available data, including federal and state reports, SEC documents, and other sources, weighing factors like operations, scale, revenue, commercial partnerships, manufacturing, and safety records. The system updates every 12 hours and covers four categories: robotaxis, autonomous driving licensing companies, autonomous trucks, and delivery bots.
One of the notable findings from the index's global approach is China's strong performance. As of Friday, Baidu's Apollo Go program was leading the robotaxi rankings, narrowly ahead of Waymo. Chinese companies Pony.ai and WeRide followed, with Tesla in fifth place. Autnmy AI co-founder Rob Grant emphasized that the platform uses publicly available information and licensed data, not scraped internet content.
In Texas, fleet growth continues for several autonomous vehicle companies. Waymo has increased its registered autonomous vehicles to 620, a 7.5% rise in less than a month. Tesla saw a significant 64% increase, bringing its fleet to 69 vehicles. Zoox also added to its fleet, now having 43 registered vehicles. Other companies like Avride, Nuro, and Volkswagen subsidiary MOIA maintain their existing fleet sizes.
Recent developments in the autonomous vehicle sector include an incident in Dallas where a human-driven vehicle struck an Avride robotaxi; no injuries were reported, and the data is under review. In a separate event, Waymo recalled nearly 4,000 robotaxis to address a software issue that caused them to drive into highway construction zones. The software fix is currently under development.
Several deals and partnerships were also announced. Cargofy, an AI logistics company, raised $11 million in Series A funding. Carro acquired Australian used-car platform CarPlace. Gatik, a self-driving truck startup, announced a multi-year partnership with PepsiCo. QuantumScape and Honda R&D Co. entered a joint research agreement for solid-state battery development. Stellantis, Wayve, and Uber are collaborating to develop and deploy driverless robotaxis. Additionally, robot training data startup XDOF raised $70 million.
Other notable tidbits include a workaround discovered by Tesla owners in China to bypass distracted driving monitors using plastic heads. Tesla has also obtained a limousine permit for operations at San Francisco International Airport, though these operations require a human driver. Mobileye plans to launch a robotaxi service in a U.S. city in 2027, and Uber intends to launch a premium robotaxi service in Houston by mid-2027.