Tesla Robotaxi Cheaper Than Waymo, But Lags in Efficiency

Analysts find Tesla's self-driving service in Austin underperforms on key metrics compared to Waymo.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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According to a new research note from Jeffries, Tesla Inc.'s Robotaxi service in Austin is over 2x cheaper than rival Waymo, but underperforms in terms of efficiency. The analysts found that Tesla offered just 2 out of 15 rides without a safety driver and failed to book a ride over 25% of the time due to unavailability. They also noted that Tesla's cars took suboptimal routes, resulting in longer trip times. In contrast, Waymo's self-driving vehicles have also faced scrutiny, with NHTSA announcing an investigation into over 3,000 Waymo AVs after multiple accidents.

Why it matters

The comparison between Tesla and Waymo's self-driving services highlights the ongoing challenges facing the autonomous vehicle industry. While cost is an important factor, efficiency and reliability are crucial for widespread adoption of these technologies. The incidents and investigations surrounding both companies' vehicles also raise questions about the safety and readiness of current AV systems.

The details

Jeffries analysts conducted over 15 rides in Tesla's Robotaxi and 19 rides in Waymo's service in Austin. They found that Tesla's service was generally underperforming across key performance indicators, with only 2 out of 15 rides offered without a safety driver. Tesla also failed to book a ride over 25% of the time due to unavailability. The analysts noted that Tesla's cars took suboptimal routes, resulting in longer trip times. In contrast, Waymo's self-driving vehicles have also faced scrutiny, with NHTSA announcing an investigation into over 3,000 Waymo AVs after multiple accidents involving the company's vehicles.

  • Tesla's Robotaxi service in Austin started in mid-2025.
  • The new research note from Jeffries was released on February 26, 2026.

The players

Tesla Inc.

An American electric vehicle and clean energy company that designs and manufactures electric cars, battery energy storage from home to grid-scale, solar panels and related products.

Waymo

An American autonomous driving technology development company and a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google.

Jeffries

A global investment banking firm that provides research, sales, trading, and investment banking services.

NHTSA

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a federal agency within the United States Department of Transportation responsible for writing and enforcing vehicle safety standards.

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What’s next

The analysts noted that the new crashes take the total number of reported incidents from Tesla's Robotaxi service in Austin to 14 since it started in mid-2025. The NHTSA investigation into over 3,000 Waymo AVs is also ongoing.

The takeaway

The comparison between Tesla and Waymo's self-driving services highlights the ongoing challenges facing the autonomous vehicle industry. While cost is an important factor, efficiency and reliability are crucial for widespread adoption of these technologies. The incidents and investigations surrounding both companies' vehicles also raise questions about the safety and readiness of current AV systems.