Welcome to the Ride AI newsletter: your weekly digest of news and intelligence at the intersection of technology and transportation.
PC: Zoox
The company announced on September 10th that it's making its robotaxis available to all customers in Las Vegas, becoming the first company in the US to operate with a purpose-built autonomous vehicle in public service, and the second to clear the driver-out bar. The toaster-shaped AVs will be available for passenger trips on the Las Vegas Strip starting today, though they're limited to pickups and dropoffs at only a handful of destinations, including Resort World Las Vegas, AREA15, Topgolf, New York New York, and the Luxor, which makes the service more of a roboshuttle than a traditional robotaxi.
The rides will be free while the company waits for regulatory approval before it can charge for the service. Zoox's robotaxis are fully driverless, lacking traditional controls like pedals and steering wheels. Instead, the interior features bench seats positioned on either side, so passengers face each other while they ride. The vehicles typically won't exceed 45 mph when in operation.
I was able to try a preview of Zoox’s Las Vegas service last month. You can check out that video here. While my experiences were a bit of a mixed bag, clearing the driverless bar for regular passenger service is extremely impressive.
Zoox is also inviting interested riders to join its waitlist for a robotaxi service in San Francisco. To join, simply download the Zoox app, available on iOS and Android devices.
The company has a permit to test its driverless vehicles in San Francisco and Foster City but has yet to receive a permit for a commercial robotaxi service in the state. The company plans to deploy a total of 50 vehicles across both Las Vegas and San Francisco. In Las Vegas, Resort World and AREA15 have created Zoox-only zones with a "Zoox concierge" onsite to help passengers with questions.
The deal makes Hesai the sole supplier for both long-range and short-range LiDAR products for the unnamed company, with delivery scheduled for completion by the end of 2026. This marks Hesai’s second major US announcement this month, following an exclusive order from Hyundai-backed Motional on September 4. Hesai has served as Motional's exclusive short-range LiDAR supplier for two consecutive years, with each Ioniq 5 robotaxi equipped with four Hesai sensors.
I’m just speculating, but it’s very likely that the “unnamed leading US robotaxi company” in question here is Zoox. While other companies in the US, like previously mentioned Motional and others, use Hesai sensors, there is really only one that is building new robotaxis at scale. With Zoox now scaling operations in Las Vegas and San Francisco after having just recently opened their new purpose built production facility, it seems the company is the most likely candidate for this large sensor order.
PC: May Mobility
Riders can now hail a May Mobility robotaxi on the Lyft app, marking the first commercial deployment in the two companies' partnership. The small fleet of hybrid-electric Toyota Sienna vehicles will operate with limited hours and a human safety operator in the front seat, entering a city where Uber and Waymo already offer fully driverless rides as of June.
The vehicles will be available to Lyft riders ordering on demand or via the "Wait & Save" feature starting in Midtown Atlanta from morning rush hour into the afternoon Monday through Friday, with plans to extend into evenings and weekends soon.
Lyft’s partnership with May Mobility is one of many the company is pursuing. Last month, Lyft announced a deal with China's Baidu to launch robotaxis in Europe next year. The company is also working with Mobileye to deploy vehicles in Dallas "as soon as 2026." According to a spokesperson, Lyft and May Mobility plan to expand to "dozens, then hundreds and eventually thousands [of robotaxis] over time" across multiple markets.
The permit, issued by Nevada's Department of Motor Vehicles this past week, allows Tesla to test its autonomous vehicles on public streets throughout the state… though notably not to operate them as a commercial service just yet. This comes two months after Elon Musk promised during Tesla's Q2 earnings call that the company would be seeking regulatory approvals in Nevada, Arizona, Florida, and several other states, with the ambitious goal of launching autonomous ride-hailing across half the U.S. population by year's end.
Nevada's straightforward regulatory environment makes it an attractive testing ground for AV companies. Unlike California's more stringent requirements, Tesla simply needed to fill out a testing registry permit form and show proof of $5 million in insurance coverage. The state DMV confirmed Tesla submitted its certification on September 3 and received approval Wednesday, complete with those distinctive red license plates for test vehicles. However, DMV spokesperson Hailey Foster emphasized that Tesla will still need to complete a separate self-certification process before it can actually deploy a commercial robotaxi service in the state.
The company's senior regulatory counsel, Casey Blaine, told California regulators over the summer that Tesla was "initiating engagement" with San Francisco International, San Jose Mineta International, and Oakland International airports for pickup and drop-off permissions, according to records obtained by POLITICO. SFO's public information officer Doug Yakel confirmed they've received Tesla's request and have begun scheduling discussions, while San Jose spokesperson Julie Jarratt said Tesla inquired about obtaining a transportation charter party permit, though none have been issued yet. Oakland airport spokesperson Kaley Skantz noted their team has been in contact with Tesla's Public Policy and Business Development team but hasn't met with them.
The move puts Tesla in potential competition with Waymo, which last week became the first robotaxi operator to be approved to service airports in California. Questions still remain, however, if Tesla’s service can actually be considered a fully-fledged robotaxi service, as it still operates with safety drivers in the driver’s seat.
PC: WeRide
The expansion comes through a partnership with Flemish public transportation company De Lijn, the City of Leuven, and mobility consultancy Espaces-Mobilités. Starting September 11th, WeRide's Robobus began field preparations on the busy downtown route between Leuven Station and Heverlee, with public road testing expected mid-September with a safety officer onboard. Pending regulatory approval from the Public Department of Mobility and Transport, De Lijn will operate a pilot autonomous shuttle service from mid-November through January 2026, marking Belgium's first commercial AV deployment in mixed traffic. Passengers will board using digital tickets via app, SMS, or subscription, similar to how WeRide’s own Robobus service operates in China.
I was able to try out WeRide’s Robobus service in China earlier this year, and was pleasantly whelmed by how well it did in a less complex environment. You can watch that review here.
WeRide's European expansion has accelerated recently, with the company launching its first robotaxis in Furttal, Switzerland last month under the "iamo" pilot, and operating Europe's first fully driverless commercial Robobus service in Valence, France earlier this year.
The futuristic electric bus, which first appeared as a concept at CES 2018 and transported athletes at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, officially became available for purchase on September 15 at a starting price of 29,000,000 yen ($197,000 USD). Toyota calls it "the next-generation" of mobility, with the versatile vehicle able to function as a shuttle, delivery van, food truck, mobile entertainment space, or even a pop-up shop. The e-Palette will debut at the new Toyota Arena Tokyo opening October 3, where it will provide shuttle services and operate as food trucks.
The vehicle measures 4,950 mm long, 2,080 mm wide, and 2,650 mm tall, which is significantly larger than most electric vans. Powered by a 72.82 kWh lithium-ion battery, the e-Palette delivers a cruising range of approximately 250 km (155 miles) and can recharge to 80% in about 40 minutes. It features a Steer-by-Wire System, digital signage inside and out, and bidirectional charging capabilities that enable it to function as a vehicle to load device.
While Toyota says the vehicle will initially offer Level 2 automated driving capabilities, meaning a driver must still be present, the company aims to achieve Level 4 autonomous driving by 2027 with a self-driving camera/lidar stack provided by ADK. While the MSRP stands at $197,000, the vehicle qualifies for a Japanese government subsidy of 15,835,000 yen ($107,500), potentially reducing the effective price for buyers to just around $90,000 USD, a price I might be willing to consider if I were thinking about opening a self-driving robot pop-up boba shop.
Alright, that’s it from me… until next week. If you enjoy this newsletter, share it with your friend, colleague, or boss. Thank you for reading; Sophia out!
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