Waymo has announced an expansion of its self-driving taxi service area in Austin, Texas, from 37 square miles to 90 square miles, thereby encompassing a greater number of communities. This marks Waymo's first substantial expansion since the inception of its service four months ago. Currently, more than 100 Waymo autonomous vehicles in Austin are providing rides via the Uber platform. The purpose of this expansion is twofold: to increase market share and to enhance data collection, ultimately improving system safety and reliability. With approximately 1,500 autonomous vehicles operating in various cities across the United States, Waymo continues to maintain its industry-leading position.

In contrast, Tesla, despite testing autonomous vehicles in Austin, faces both technological and regulatory hurdles. Tesla's technological approach diverges from Waymo's, relying solely on a camera and AI solution. Furthermore, Waymo's autonomous vehicles have amassed an impressive 100 million miles of driving experience, with the total doubling in the past six months.