TechCrunch Mobility: When a robotaxi has to call 911

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation.

Waymo’s skyrocketing ridership in one chart

Waymo’s weekly paid robotaxi trips have increased tenfold in less than two years.

Who’s driving Waymo’s self-driving cars? Sometimes, the police.

First responders have had to take control of Waymo vehicles and move them during emergency situations, including in at least two active crime scenes, TechCrunch found.

Zoox brings its robotaxis to Austin and Miami

After nearly two years of testing in the two cities, the Amazon-owned company says it’s getting closer to offering rides.

Uber taps Rivian to build robotaxis in deal worth up to $1.25B

Uber is kicking off the partnership with an initial $300 million investment, while Rivian will provide as many as 50,000 autonomous R2 SUVs.

Motional robotaxis join the Uber app in Vegas two years after major reset

The launch comes just two years after a major reboot at Hyundai-owned Motional. The service will start with a safety monitor, which Motional hopes to remove by year’s end.

Lucid Motors shows off robotaxi concept called ‘Lunar’

The concept was a highlight of Lucid’s investor day, in which the company detailed its ambitions to push deeper into autonomy while pumping out new, affordable EVs.

Uber, Wayve and Nissan plan to launch a robotaxi service in Tokyo this year

Nissan will integrate Wayve’s self-driving software into the Leaf with the goal of making the vehicles available on the Uber app in Tokyo.

Zoox plans to put its robotaxis on the Uber app in Vegas this year

The purpose-built robotaxis will be available on Uber’s app in Las Vegas this year, and Los Angeles next year, if Zoox gets the federal approval it’s been seeking.

Zoox starts mapping Dallas and Phoenix for its robotaxis

It’s a precursor to launching robotaxis in those cities, though the Amazon-owned company is still waiting for federal approval to commercially operate its purpose-built AV.