Tesla Robotaxi 50% Cheaper Than Waymo but Logs 14 Crashes and Delays
Jefferies analysts find Tesla's Austin Robotaxi 50% cheaper per ride than Waymo but failed to book 25% of requested trips and offered only 2 fully driverless rides out of 15 tests. Since mid-2025 the service recorded 14 crashes and rounds took longer due to suboptimal routing.
1. Cost and Availability
In 15 Tesla Robotaxi trials in Austin, rides averaged half the price of Waymo but suffered failed bookings on over 25% of requests and only 2 of 15 trips were completed without a safety driver. Suboptimal routing extended trip times compared with estimated ETAs.
2. Safety Record
Since service launch in mid-2025, the fleet has tallied 14 reported crashes in Austin, including 5 new incidents, prompting scrutiny of hardware and software reliability under real-world conditions. These events highlight challenges in achieving full autonomy without human oversight.
3. Analyst Recommendations
Jefferies notes that standalone AV fleets currently lack a cost advantage over traditional rideshare models and recommends a hybrid approach combining autonomous and human-driven vehicles. Testing of the upcoming Cybercab on Chicago highways underscores a push toward a low-cost $30,000 production target by April.