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Waymo Wins San José Airport Approval as Tesla Opens Robotaxi App to Public Waitlist

The parallel moves underscore divergent rollouts—Waymo scaling driverless service as Tesla gates access through a waitlist with safety‑monitored rides.

Overview

  • San José Mineta International Airport authorized Waymo to begin testing this fall, with paid robotaxi rides expected later this year and pickups at Terminal A and B ground transportation centers.
  • Waymo began manual, human‑supervised driving in Denver and Seattle this week with about a dozen vehicles per city, deploying 5th‑ and 6th‑generation systems designed for harsher weather before advancing to fully autonomous service after validation.
  • Waymo says its commercial fleet now tops 2,000 robotaxis nationwide, including roughly 800 in the Bay Area, 500 in Los Angeles, 400 in Phoenix, 100 in Austin and dozens in Atlanta.
  • Tesla released an iOS Robotaxi app that anyone can download to join a waitlist, with the company saying Android is coming later and some users reporting swift access; autonomous rides remain centered in Austin under supervised operations.
  • Tesla expanded Austin coverage to 173 square miles and began freeway trips with safety monitors in the driver’s seat for highway segments, while its Austin fleet remains far smaller than Waymo’s, reported at roughly 30 vehicles.