It’s time to face a hard truth: Tesla is no longer on the cutting edge of robotaxi technology. As of 2025, the undisputed leader in autonomous ride-hailing is Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet (Google’s parent company).
Waymo operates at SAE Level 4 autonomy, meaning their vehicles can drive themselves without any human inside, in specific geofenced areas. This isn’t a prototype—it’s real, operational, and public.
Their Waymo One robotaxi service is live in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, where anyone can hail a fully driverless car—no safety driver, no steering wheel input, no human control required. Riders are using it every day like a regular Uber or Lyft.
In contrast, Tesla's so-called Full Self-Driving (FSD) is still classified as Level 2 autonomy. That means the system can assist with steering, acceleration, and braking, but the driver must be fully alert and ready to take over at all times. Tesla has no regulatory approval to operate a robotaxi fleet, and no Tesla on the road today can legally drive itself.