Tesla Robotaxi fleet Texas one-tenth size of Waymo’s, filings reveal

Tesla’s currently has 42 autonomous vehicles authorized for driverless ride-hailing in Texas; that fleet is less than a tenth the size of Waymo’s fleet in the state.

Waymo, alphabet Self-driving vehicle businesses have 577 authorized robotaxis in Texas, according to new records on the state Department of Motor Vehicles’ website.

The recordings were published in a magazine online database as on 28 May new law It went into effect, giving Texas more power over commercial self-driving vehicle operators. Texas law previously allowed AV testing and operations on highways “as long as they meet the same safety and insurance requirements as all other vehicles on the road.”

The new law requires self-driving vehicle operators, including Tesla, Waymo and others, to self-certify that their AVs are level 4 autonomous vehicles according to standards set by SAE. Level 4 generally means that an AV can operate in normal weather conditions and on typical roads without a human driver on board.

Waymo has long counted its robot axes as level 4, but Tesla told regulators that most of its vehicles have level 2 driver assistance systems.

Tesla has been operating its Robotaxi-branded service in Texas since June 2025, but has not disclosed details of how any of its vehicles in the fleet became certified as level 4. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Tesla is counting on self-driving cars to fuel much of its future growth at a time when it faces dramatically increasing competition in the electric vehicle market and CEO Elon Musk seeks to prove that it is at the forefront of artificial intelligence and robotics.

But Tesla lags far behind Waymo, which has an existing commercial fleet of nearly 4,000 vehicles across the U.S. and is rapidly expanding its paid service into new markets.

In Texas, Tesla is also pursuing smaller player AV Ride, which has allowed 317 automated vehicles in the state, according to the DMV. AmazonZoox had 35.

Tesla’s Austin fleet experienced 17 known incidents between July 2025 and April 2026, according to records filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; two of these sustained minor injuries and one required hospitalization. These incidents occurred while human safety inspectors were on board.

Tesla has applied for driverless testing permits in Arizona, Nevada and Florida, but has not yet begun paid self-driving rides in those states.

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