Last updated on February 9th, 2026 at 05:12 pm
Uber to launch a premium robotaxi service in Waymo’s turf of San Francisco (Kirsten Korosec, 10/24)
Uber will launch a premium robotaxi service in San Francisco in 2026, using Lucid Motors’ electric Gravity SUVs with self-driving technology from Nuro. This service will directly compete with Waymo. The announcement took place during TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, where Uber’s chief product officer and Nuro’s president were set to be interviewed.
Uber plans to invest $300 million in Lucid and purchase at least 20,000 Gravity SUVs over six years for this service. This launch may create tension with Waymo, which already operates robotaxis in the Bay Area. Uber, Nuro, and Lucid are currently working on a test fleet of about 100 vehicles.
Aurora Expands Driverless Trucking Service from Fort Worth to El Paso (Business Wire, 10/28)
Aurora Innovation, Inc. is expanding its commercial operations by launching a second driverless route from Fort Worth to El Paso, achieving over 100,000 driverless miles on public roads. They plan to deploy hundreds of driverless trucks with new hardware in 2026. The next-generation hardware offers increased reliability and an extended sensing range. Aurora is integrating this hardware across multiple truck platforms, enhancing customer capacity for driverless freight. Aurora will also share its third quarter 2025 results in a conference call.
China’s Pony.ai, WeRide file for Hong Kong IPOs in milestone for driverless tech sector (Yulu Ao, 10/28)
Two of China’s leading autonomous-driving companies, Pony.ai and WeRide, have submitted IPO prospectuses in Hong Kong—marking a major milestone for the country’s driverless-tech sector. Pony.ai plans to offer approximately 41.96 million Class A shares (including 4.2 million for retail investors) following regulatory approval by China’s securities watchdog. WeRide’s IPO move similarly reflects a push to tap capital markets closer to home amid intensifying global competition in autonomous mobility. The listings reflect rising investor confidence in China’s autonomous vehicle sector, align with national efforts to foster homegrown innovation, and provide Pony.ai and WeRide with critical capital to support their global growth ambitions.
Tesla revives ‘Mad Max’ mode in Full Self-Driving (Kurt Knutsson, 10/27)
Tesla has reintroduced its Mad Max mode in the Full Self-Driving feature, allowing for more aggressive driving habits. This update comes amid regulatory scrutiny. While some enjoy the assertive driving style, critics raise safety concerns. Drivers can access Mad Max mode through car settings, but must remain attentive.
Is Waymo ready for Winter? (Andrew Hawkins, 10/25)
Waymo is actively equipping its robotaxi fleet to navigate heavy snow and icy roads as it plans expansion into colder East Coast cities. While its current system handles light snow, the next-generation “Waymo Driver” is being built specifically for severe winter conditions, where features like snow-obscured lane markings and reduced visibility still challenge autonomous systems. The company is collecting rare snow-driving data, testing in places like Truckee, Michigan, Denver and Upstate New York, and deploying innovations such as sensor heaters and rooftop lidar wipers to boost performance in slushy conditions. Yet even with these upgrades, Waymo stresses that some extreme weather could still force service pauses.
