The two technology giants Tesla and Waymo have begun to "compete" in the field of self-driving taxis again, and this time the focus is on Austin, USA. Tesla has been making frequent moves recently and is preparing to once again expand the geo-fence range of its robotaxi.Just a few days ago, Waymo had just responded to Tesla's first expansion, which shows that the competition between the two parties has entered a white-hot stage.
Tesla just expanded Robotaxi’s geofencing for the first time last week, less than a month after it launched the service in Austin.
The shape of the geofence chosen by Tesla this time is very unique. It seems to be declaring war with Waymo. It is not harmful, but it is extremely insulting.
However, Waymo was not to be outdone and quickly responded by expanding its own geofencing.
After Tesla’s first expansion, its Robotaxi drivable area reached 42 square miles, or about 108.8 square kilometers, which at the time exceeded Waymo’s 37 square miles, or about 95.8 square kilometers.
But Waymo’s expansion last week was even greater, directly increasing its drivable area in Austin to 90 square miles, or about 233.1 square kilometers.
Tesla is clearly ready to fight back again.
News that drone operator and Gigafactory Texas watcher Joe Tegmaier spotted a Tesla Robotaxi demonstration vehicle in the Marble Falls area west of downtown Austin.
If Tesla can extend the geofence to this area, its drivable area will be greatly increased.
Although neither side has publicly admitted that they are expanding their territory against each other, anyone with a discerning eye can see that the "turf war" between the two technology giants in Austin has been undercurrent.
However, for consumers, this kind of competition is actually a good thing, as it can promote the speed and popularization of driverless services.
Waymo has been operating in a fully public manner in Texas since March this year, while Tesla's Robotaxi fleet is gradually expanding its testing scale, with small expansions being made almost daily.
Tesla launched the Robotaxi service on June 22 to a limited number of members of its Early Access Program.
It is understood that Tesla also plans to expand this service to other regions in the United States, such as Arizona and California.
Expansion into Texas is now a priority for Tesla, though, as it is the only region in the U.S. where Tesla has been approved to operate passenger services without driving.