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Waymo Launches Corporate Robotaxi Accounts to Target Business Travel

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Alphabet-owned Waymo announced on Wednesday the launch of “Waymo for Business,” a corporate program that allows companies to set up accounts for employees to use its robotaxi service across Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, Austin, and Atlanta.

The initiative is aimed at tapping into recurring corporate travel demand, giving employers tools to control when, where, and how staff use autonomous rides. It marks another step in Waymo’s efforts to expand the commercial use of its driverless fleet.

Waymo said it now completes more than 1 million rides per month, with nearly one in six riders in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix using the service for commuting. The company has recently expanded operations, launching paid driverless rides in Atlanta and broadening coverage in Austin.

Through an administrative portal, organizations can manage employee access, issue promo codes, and generate reports to track ride usage and expenses. Early adopters include Carvana, the Phoenix-based online used-car retailer.

The business service is still in its early stages, but Waymo said more features will be added over time to support companies of various sizes.

A key focus for Waymo is airport access, a priority for frequent business travelers. The company already serves Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, recently gained approval to operate at San José Mineta International Airport, and holds a testing permit at San Francisco International Airport ahead of possible commercial service.

Emails reveal regulators were alarmed and confused by Musk’s Bay Area “robotaxi” claims

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Tesla’s promised “robotaxi” rollout in the San Francisco Bay Area wasn’t driverless at all—and regulators were blindsided. Emails obtained via public-records requests show California and U.S. officials were alarmed after Elon Musk publicly suggested Tesla was “getting the regulatory permission to launch,” even though the company had not applied for the permits required to test or operate autonomous taxis in California. Tesla’s actual plan was invite-only rides in human-driven vehicles under a limousine-style permit that doesn’t allow on-demand robotaxis.

Officials at the California Public Utilities Commission and NHTSA pressed Tesla to clarify public statements to avoid “public confusion.” Tesla’s policy staff told the state it would inform customers “when available” and generally doesn’t respond to press, while Musk continued to tout robotaxi scale on X and to blur the term with Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” driver-assist feature that still requires an attentive human driver.

The regulatory skepticism comes as Tesla pushes for rapid robotaxi expansion and seeks to test in permissive states such as Arizona and Nevada, where approvals for autonomous testing with safety drivers are advancing—still far from fully driverless commercial operations. California authorities reiterate that separate DMV and CPUC permits are prerequisites for any paid driverless service in the state, and Tesla hasn’t obtained them.

Beyond the Bay Area episode, the gap between marketing and regulatory filings will matter more as investors weigh Musk’s ambitious timelines against legal guardrails. Agencies say Tesla must “properly and accurately” describe services—clearly distinguishing human-driven pilots from autonomy—if it wants to avoid enforcement headaches as it scales.

Chinese robotaxi firms team up for autonomous shuttles in Singapore

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Two of China’s leading robotaxi developers — WeRide and Pony.ai — announced partnerships with Singaporean firms to roll out autonomous shuttle services in the city-state, marking a major step in its autonomous driving ambitions.

Grab, Singapore’s ride-hailing giant, said it will partner with WeRide to operate two autonomous shuttle routes in Punggol. Services will begin in early 2026 with five- and eight-seater shuttles, following a test phase to study routes. WeRide, already licensed in Shanghai, is expanding its footprint abroad.

Meanwhile, Pony.ai, backed by Toyota, will team up with ComfortDelGro, Singapore’s largest taxi and transport operator. Their service will also start in Punggol on a 12-km route, with launches expected “in the coming months” pending regulatory approval, before expanding to nearby communities.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said both companies have a proven track record overseas with multiple vehicle types, including shuttles and robotaxis. Pony.ai already operates commercial services in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, and is eyeing further deployments in South Korea, Luxembourg, the Middle East, and beyond after its $260 million Nasdaq IPO in November.

Singapore has been actively exploring autonomous mobility, with Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow visiting Chinese AV firms in June. The partnerships position the country as a testbed for urban driverless fleets, as global competition in robotaxi technology accelerates.