Elon Musk, during Tesla’s recent earnings call, criticized Waymo, a leading competitor in the robotaxi race, over its approach to autonomous vehicle development. Musk highlighted the high cost and complexity of Waymo’s sensor-laden vehicles, particularly those equipped with lidar, and touted Tesla’s camera-based, AI-driven system as a more efficient and scalable solution. He predicted a rapid roll-out of Tesla’s robotaxis, stating that the company would deploy 10 to 20 Tesla Model Ys in Austin this June, followed by millions of fully-autonomous vehicles by mid-next year, aiming for near monopolistic market dominance. However, John Krafcik, former Waymo CEO, vehemently disagreed with Musk’s assessment. In an email to Business Insider, Krafcik pointed out that Tesla has yet to offer a single robotaxi ride to the public, unlike Waymo, which operates commercially in cities like Phoenix. He said Tesla’s decade-long pursuit of autonomous vehicles has not materialized into any significant service, describing it as “utterly and completely” failing to deliver on its promises. Krafcik, who led Waymo from 2015 to 2021 and oversaw its transition from an Alphabet project to an independent company, emphasized the trivial cost impact of sensors over a robotaxi’s lifetime, while highlighting their crucial role in enhancing safety. He noted that Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, despite improvements, remains far from being a truly autonomous and safe service. Tesla has been making steady progress towards its goal, with the company recently sharing a post on X (formerly Twitter) demonstrating the robotaxi app and service in Silicon Valley. The post revealed that Tesla has completed over 1,500 trips and driven 15,000 miles, albeit under supervision. The video showed a safety operator monitoring the vehicle, raising questions about the true level of autonomy Tesla has achieved. Analysts are divided on the prospects of Tesla’s robotaxi ambitions. RBC Capital Markets analyst Tom Narayan projected potential annual revenues of $80 billion in robotaxi services by 2040. However, insider skepticism like Krafcik’s suggests that Tesla’s claims may be overstated. Krafcik maintains that the focus should be on data-driven evidence and liability, as Tesla's FSD still lacks comprehensive, unsupervised deployment and carries no insurance responsibility for its performance. Both Tesla and Waymo declined to comment further on the exchanges. Despite the ongoing rivalry, the debate underscores the significant challenges and differing strategies in the field of autonomous vehicles. While Tesla aims for a broad, rapid deployment based on AI and camera systems, Waymo prioritizes meticulous mapping and sensor integration, emphasizing safety and reliability. Industry insiders and experts believe that the safety and regulatory approval of autonomous vehicles are paramount, and they caution against overpromising and underdelivering. Companies must navigate complex technological, legal, and ethical landscapes to bring fully autonomous vehicles to market. Tesla’s approach, while ambitious, faces skepticism due to a lack of concrete achievements, while Waymo’s methodical process continues to be validated by its operational track record and partnerships with established automotive manufacturers. Company Profiles: - Waymo: Founded in 2009 as part of Google's parent company Alphabet, Waymo is a leader in autonomous driving technology. It operates commercial robotaxi services in Phoenix and is known for its extensive use of lidar and other sensor technologies. - Tesla: Founded in 2003, Tesla is a pioneer in electric vehicles and has been developing its Full Self-Driving (FSD) capabilities for over a decade. The company’s approach to autonomy relies heavily on neural networks and cameras, aiming for broad commercialization.