During a recent earnings call, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai hinted at the possibility of Waymo selling self-driving cars for personal ownership in the future. This announcement generated significant attention. When questioned about Waymo's long-term business model, Pichai mentioned expansion with partners like Moove and Uber, alongside exploring "future options for personal ownership."

Self-Driving Car

Image Source Note: Image generated by AI, licensed through Midjourney.

This isn't the first time Waymo has considered selling self-driving cars to individuals. Back in 2018, Waymo partnered with Chrysler to produce self-driving Pacifica minivans and began discussions about the potential for personal sales. Clearly, Waymo is seriously considering this business direction.

Meanwhile, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is also exploring the market for personal self-driving vehicles. At last year's "We, Robots" event, Musk projected that consumers could purchase a self-driving robotaxi called Cybercab for $30,000 by 2026. In Tesla's recent earnings call, Musk jokingly remarked that Waymo's robotaxis are "considerably more expensive," highlighting the simplified design of Tesla's Cybercab.

Currently, Waymo operates significantly more self-driving robotaxis on the road than Tesla, which hasn't yet launched its service. Waymo recently expanded its testing in Japan, while Tesla plans to roll out its robotaxi service in Austin. Musk has pledged to have "millions" of self-driving Teslas on the road by the end of next year.

Key Takeaways:

🚗 Waymo's CEO indicated a potential future for selling self-driving cars for personal use.

🤖 Tesla is also developing a personal self-driving robotaxi, slated for release in 2026.

🌍 Waymo currently operates more self-driving robotaxis than Tesla and is actively expanding its market reach.