Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai's new comp package comes with equity tied to Waymo's and Wing's performance
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai will get a new performance-based equity pay package worth up to $692M.
The new package ties Pichai's compensation partly to the financial performance of Waymo and Wing.
Waymo has expanded to 10 markets, marking significant growth for Alphabet's autonomous service.
Alphabet's chief executive just got a new equity pay package that, for ...
A US agency is set to hold a forum focused on self-driving safety, bringing together the CEOs of prominent autonomous vehicle companies like Waymo, Zoox, and Aurora to discuss industry standards and future developments.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has stated that Waymo robotaxis were involved in new incidents where they illegally passed stopped school buses, raising concerns about autonomous vehicle safety.
Waymo, an autonomous vehicle company, reportedly failed an emergency test during a mass shooting incident in Austin, raising concerns about the safety and reliability of self-driving technology in critical situations.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has paused the statewide expansion of robotaxis to smaller cities, though Waymo retains its permit for testing autonomous vehicles in New York City.
Following a setback in New York, Waymo is set to launch its autonomous vehicle services in the largest cities across Texas, expanding its footprint in the self-driving car market.
Waymo's plans to launch robotaxi services in New York are on hold after Governor Hochul withdrew a proposal that would have legalized unsupervised robotaxis in the state.
A Waymo self-driving car reportedly obstructed an ambulance responding to a deadly mass shooting in Austin, raising concerns about autonomous vehicle protocols in emergency situations.
A Waymo robotaxi reportedly blocked an ambulance responding to a mass shooting in Austin, Texas, last week, with bystander video showing the autonomous vehicle obstructing emergency services.
Waymo, Google's self-driving car company, has begun testing its robotaxi services in Chicago to assess their performance and safety in challenging winter weather conditions.
Waymo unveils cheaper sixth-generation driverless technology, expanding robotaxi service to 20 new cities this year with improved sensors and reduced costs.
NY Gov. Kathy Hochul Kills Plan To Allow Robotaxi Operations Outside NYC
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has withdrawn a proposal that would allow commercial robotaxi pilot operations outside New York City limits without a human safety operator in the vehicle. The decision was first reported by Bloomberg News earlier Thursday and is a major setback for Waymo as it attempts a rapid US expansion this year.
Bloomberg reported:
The proposal, which Hochul had included in a policy preview she presented last month, would have allowed autonomous-vehicle companies such as Waymo to apply for permission to pilot their services without human operators in the vehicle. The decision to withdraw the plan was confirmed Thursday by the governor's office to Bloomberg News.
"While we are disappointed by the Governor's decision, we're committed to bringing our service to New York and will work with the state legislature to advance this issue," a Waymo spokesperson said in a statement provided to Bloomberg.
Last week, Waymo co-chief executive Tekedra Mawakana told Bloomberg TV that the Hochul administration showed interest in launching robotaxis.
Even if it were outside the NYC metro area, "that gives us an opportunity to grow more fans," Mawakana said, adding that some customers of the service have been requesting robotaxis within city boundaries.
To note, Waymo is currently testing in NYC, but it is not yet operating a driverless commercial robotaxi service. As of early 2026, its activity includes a small fleet with safety drivers in parts of Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn.
"We hear from thousands of New Yorkers who have experienced Waymo in other cities and want access to it at home," the Waymo spokesperson added. "They want the safety, privacy and comfort that riders in other major cities already enjoy."
Last month, Goldman analyst Eric Sheridan provided clients with an update on the North American autonomous-vehicle (AV) rideshare market, which is quickly gaining momentum. Read the report here.
"The rise in commercial autonomous vehicle deployments remains a key debate among investors and has continued to gain momentum throughout 2025. In the medium term, we believe that AV rideshare could represent a mid-single-digit percentage of total rideshare industry bookings," Sheridan said.
Current robotaxi operations
The lingering question: who persuaded Hochul to kill the robotaxi expansion proposal?
Tyler Durden
Thu, 02/19/2026 - 16:40
A US agency is set to host a forum focused on self-driving safety, bringing together the CEOs of prominent autonomous vehicle companies like Waymo, Zoox, and Aurora.
The incident was confirmed by the company and local officials, raising questions about how autonomous vehicles operate around fast-moving emergency scenes
Analysts assess Tesla's Robotaxi, noting its potential cost advantage over Waymo but highlighting concerns about longer waiting times and the continued reliance on human drivers.
Significant investments are being made in autonomous driving companies, including Google's Waymo and British start-up Wayve, with car manufacturers also participating in these multi-billion dollar funding rounds.
Waymo is expanding its robotaxi service to 'select riders' in several major cities across Texas and Florida, including Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Orlando.
A price war has reportedly begun in the robotaxi industry, with Waymo reporting 1,429 incidents, 117 injuries, and two fatalities since 2021, while claiming 80% of the market.
Tesla has responded to Waymo's denial that its robotaxis are driven by remote workers in the Philippines, as Tesla faces scaling deadlines for its self-driving taxi service launched in 2025.
Ducati North America CEO Jason Chinnock expresses his desire that self-driving motorcycles do not become a reality, highlighting a sentiment against autonomous technology in the motorcycle industry.
Articles discuss the societal and economic impacts of self-driving cars and robotaxis, including their potential to save lives, affect jobs, and reshape urban landscapes, with Waymo cited as a case study.
