Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.
Alphabet Inc.‘s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) autonomous cab service Waymo CEO Tekedra Mawakana took a swipe at Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) and its autonomous driving pursuits as the Robotaxi race heats up in the U.S.
Speaking at a media event hosted by Techcrunch on Monday, Mawakana was asked for her view on AV companies working towards ensuring safety on the road. “I think there is a responsibility if you’re gonna put vehicles on the road and you’re gonna remove the driver from behind the wheel,” Mawakana said, adding that transparency is important if the autonomous vehicles are monitored by remote operators.
Trending: Missed Nvidia and Tesla? RAD Intel Could Be the Next AI Powerhouse — Invest Now at Just $0.81 a Share
“It is incumbent upon you to be transparent about what is happening,” Mawakana said. She went on to say that if companies weren’t being transparent with their practices, then they aren’t taking the necessary steps to ensure safety. “It is my view that you [the companies] are not doing what’s necessary to earn the right to make the roads safer,” Mawakana said during her appearance at the event.
The news comes as Tesla CEO Elon Musk, during the automaker’s third-quarter earnings call, said that the Robotaxi service in Austin, which also operates on the highway with an onboard safety operator in the driver’s seat, will go driverless by the end of 2025.
Musk also walked back his promise of having Tesla Robotaxis serve over 50% of the population of the U.S., with the EV giant now targeting an expansion into 8-10 major cities in the country.
Waymo has been targeting overseas expansion, with the company already announcing that it plans to bring its driverless service to London sometime next year. The company will work with its fleet operations partner, Moove, in the country. Waymo says it has clocked 100 million miles on the public roads in the U.S. already.
See Also: Accredited Investors Can Now Tap Into the $36 Trillion Home Equity Market — Without Buying a Single Property
Meanwhile, Wedbush Securities investor Dan Ives reiterated his bullish views on Tesla following the earnings call, saying that the Robotaxi would be the biggest “competitive threat” to Uber Technologies Inc.‘s (NYSE:UBER) business model.
Investment bank Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas, on the other hand, said that Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology, a crucial element of the Robotaxi, would translate to over $1.2 billion in annual revenue for the EV giant. He also claimed that Tesla had “solved” autonomous driving.
Elsewhere, NHTSA is currently investigating the FSD technology after the agency said it received reports of various traffic violations and multiple accidents involving Tesla vehicles on FSD or Autopilot.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
Trending Now:
Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That’s why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, professional financial guidance, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn’t tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.
Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.
Vinovest lets investors diversify into fine wine — a historically stable, low-volatility asset class that has outperformed the S&P 500 over multiple decades. With professionally managed portfolios, secure storage, and insurance included, users can invest in wine without needing to be experts themselves. Minimums start at $1,000, and investors retain full ownership of their wine, which has the potential to appreciate in value as global demand grows.
For those seeking fixed-income style returns without Wall Street complexity, Worthy Property Bonds offers SEC-qualified, interest-bearing bonds starting at just $10. Investors earn a fixed 7% annual return, with funds deployed to small U.S. businesses. The bonds are fully liquid, meaning you can cash out anytime, making them attractive for conservative investors looking for steady, passive income.
Self-directed investors looking to take greater control of their retirement savings may consider IRA Financial. The platform enables you to use a self-directed IRA or Solo 401(k) to invest in alternative assets such as real estate, private equity, or even crypto. This flexibility empowers retirement savers to go beyond traditional stocks and bonds, building diversified portfolios that align with their long-term wealth strategies.
Moomoo isn’t just for trading — it’s also one of the most attractive places to park cash. New users can earn a promotional 8.1% APY on uninvested cash, combining a 3.85% base rate with a 4.25% booster once activated. On top of that, eligible new users can also score up to $1,000 in free Nvidia stock—but the real draw here is the ability to earn bank-beating interest rates without having to move into riskier assets.
SoFi gives members access to a wide range of professionally managed alternative funds, covering everything from commodities and private credit to venture capital, hedge funds, and real estate. These funds can provide broader diversification, help smooth out portfolio volatility, and potentially boost total returns over time. Many of the funds have relatively low minimums, making alternative investing accessible.
Range Wealth Management takes a modern, subscription-based approach to financial planning. Instead of charging asset-based fees, the platform offers flat-fee tiers that provide unlimited access to fiduciary advisors along with AI-powered planning tools. Investors can link their accounts without moving assets, while higher-level plans unlock advanced support for taxes, real estate, and multi-generational wealth strategies. This model makes Range especially appealing to high-earning professionals who want holistic advice and predictable pricing.
For investors concerned about inflation or seeking portfolio protection, American Hartford Gold provides a simple way to buy and hold physical gold and silver within an IRA or direct delivery. With a minimum investment of $10,000, the platform caters to those looking to preserve wealth through precious metals while maintaining the option to diversify retirement accounts. It’s a favored choice for conservative investors who want tangible assets that historically hold value during uncertain markets.
This article Waymo CEO Takes Swipe At Tesla As Elon Musk Predicts Robotaxis Will Go Driverless By End Of 2025: ‘…Not Doing What’s Necessary’ originally appeared on Benzinga.com
