San Antonio robotaxi turf war brewing between Tesla and Waymo

San Antonio's Zoning Commission voted July 21 to recommend approval of Tesla's plan to lease a site for a 56-car charging lot near Pearl, clearing a key hurdle for the company's robotaxi service. The commission's action is subject to City Council approval, according to the San Antonio Express-News. Tesla's gold-painted Cybercabs have been spotted on local roads with sensor rigs in recent weeks, according to social media posts cited by the newspaper. The Elon Musk company is pursuing infrastructure for its Robotaxi autonomous ride-hailing app. Waymo, owned by Alphabet, officially launched ride-hailing in San Antonio in February and added airport service in March. The company's white fleet is now a common sight on local highways, the Express-News reported. Waymo operates 577 vehicles compared to Tesla's 42, according to figures cited during a July 22 earnings call. Waymo vehicles are designated Level 4 for high automation, while Tesla's current taxi fleet is designated Level 2, requiring driver supervision. Tesla has not issued a public timeline for a San Antonio launch and did not respond to a request for comment.