 "A Waymo Zeekr robotaxi model, developed with Chinese automaker Geely, is shown leaving a public charging station during testing before the driverless services begins its expansion in San Diego, California, US November 19, 2025. File Photo/Reuters")
Robotaxis are gradually making it to the roads, providing a driverless experience for customers. In 1995, researchers from Carnegie Mellon University organised the “No Hands Across America” tour, driving from Pittsburgh to San Diego without their hands on the steering wheel.
Today, with the advent of technology, autonomous driving has become a reality. Alphabet-owned Waymo owns the world’s biggest fleet of 2,500 autonomous cars, offering services in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix and the San Francisco Bay Area. Last week, Uber rolled out fully driverless rides in Abu Dhabi in collaboration with WeRide, a Chinese autonomous vehicle company.
The ride-hailing company already offers driverless robotaxi services in Austin, Phoenix and Atlanta through Waymo. Then, there’s Elon Musk’s Tesla , which provides the service from Austin to San Francisco.
Besides America, robotaxis are also gaining popularity in China. However, safety concerns about being driven by a computer on wheels remain.
While self-driving vehicles are yet to reach their potential, there is no denying the robotaxi revolution is here.
We take a look at it through graphics.