The Emergence of The Big Four Robotaxi Networks 🤖 🚗

This Week in The Autonomy Economy, the formation of the Big Four robotaxi networks came into clearer focus with Elon Musk announcing that unsupervised full self-driving (FSD) Teslas are coming in June, Uber expanded its international robotaxi footprint in partnership with WeRide and Baidu is expanding their Apollo Go robotaxi service to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Even as broader markets sold off sharply following the Liberation Day tariffs announcement and the VIX (fear index) surging 88% the autonomy markets continued to show resilience. Amid all of the volatility, a new trend quietly emerged on network television.

There is a growing interest in autonomy among financial and news media personalities. This week, several hosts and contributors shared their experiences with Waymo and Tesla on air, signaling a shift in public discourse.

One of the most visible examples is Fox News host Sean Hannity, who recently purchased a Tesla Model S openly speaks about his positive experiences using Full Self-Driving (FSD). His fiancée, Fox & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhardt, also expressed her admiration for the technology on Fox & Friends this week, noting how often Sean uses it.

This is what we’re calling the “Fox & Friends Effect”, a noteworthy signal given the influence the show holds with certain key decision-makers, including the President, who is known to be a regular viewer.

Over on CNBC, several contributors are now discussing the massive investment opportunity in both autonomous vehicles and trucks on a seemingly daily basis.

The tide is clearly turning. Mainstream media is waking up to both the positive societal benefits and the investment opportunities that autonomy is going to create. The narrative is expanding beyond just tech circles, with television hosts now contributing to the broader conversation. What was once a niche is now becoming mainstream.

The Future is Bright. The Future is Autonomous. The Future is the Mainstream Embracement of Autonomy.

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Companies Mentioned: $UBER ( ▼ 0.87% ), $WRD ( ▼ 13.08% ), $TSLA ( ▼ 4.9% ), $BIDU ( ▼ 3.64% ) 

WHAT’S MOVING THE MARKETS | SOFTWARE PLATFORMS

The Emergence of The Big Four Robotaxi Networks

Historically, broadcast television was dominated by the Big Three broadcast networks: ABC, CBS, and NBC. That changed on October 9, 1986, when Rupert Murdoch and Barry Diller launched Fox. Just one year later, Fox’s breakout success, Married… with Children helped solidify its place alongside the other broadcast networks, turning the Big Three into the Big Four. The Big Four’s influence held steady until fragmentation hit the market with the emergence of streaming in the mid-2000’s.

Today, Uber, Lyft, and Waymo are the ABC, CBS, and NBC of robotaxis. They are the networks that are enabling consumption. They are the Big Three, enabling robotaxis to scale, much like the broadcast networks once enabled mass communication. The parallels between broadcast and robotaxi networks are vast and so is their cultural impact.

While the broadcast networks influence and cultural impact has all but diminished, robotaxis are only gaining cultural relevance. You can’t turn on the news or scroll through your X feed without reading something about autonomy these days. Robotaxis are here and they are having a cultural impact right before our eyes.

If all goes according to plan, the Big Three robotaxi networks will become the Big Four in June, when Elon Musk and Tesla launch FSD Unsupervised in Austin as part of their long-awaited robotaxi rollout. This will be Tesla’s Fox moment.

In the coming years after launch, will Tesla be able to replicate Fox’s trajectory and gradually gain marketshare? How long will it take before Tesla has its Married… with Children moment? A moment that defines a hit and captures the public’s attention?

When Tesla has their defining moment, the pressure will shift from Tesla to Uber, Lyft and Waymo. To prepare for this moment, all three companies are implementing the following strategies:

• Uber is preparing by trying to create fragmentation in the market, while expanding their robotaxi operations internationally.

• Lyft is developing their Lyft-Ready personally-owned autonomous vehicle program and preparing diligently to launch a robotaxi service with May Mobility in Atlanta this year.

• Waymo is expanding rapidly across the U.S. in an effort to become part of daily life in the cities where they operate.

While Uber, Lyft and Waymo all prepare for Tesla to enter the robotaxi market, Tesla holds a massive competitive advantage as they manufacture their vehicles in the U.S.

Unlike Waymo, which operates a mixed fleet of vehicles that includes Chinese-made Zeekr RT robotaxis, Tesla is insulated (for the most part) from tariffs. Lyft through their partnership with May Mobility is also insulated, as their robotaxis are manufactured in the U.S. as well.

The stage is set for Tesla to have their Fox moment. The Big Three are watching and soon the Big Three will become the Big Four, and when this happens, it just won’t be a moment in history, it will be a statement. Autonomy is about to go mainstream.

Our take: And that’s the way it is. - Walter Cronkite

Companies Mentioned: $UBER ( ▼ 0.87% ), $LYFT ( ▼ 4.78% ), $GOOGL ( ▼ 1.4% ), $TSLA ( ▼ 4.9% ) 

ADVOCATING FOR THE AUTONOMY ECONOMY | SPONSORED

Automation and autonomy will strengthen the economy, create jobs, and reduce inflation. Council for Economic Resilience is dedicated to promoting the future of autonomy and automation for the benefit of the American public.

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Council for Economic Resilience, Inc. is a 501(c)4 Advocacy Group that is dedicated to promoting the future of autonomy and automation for the benefit of the American people.

WHAT’S MOVING THE MARKETS | AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

Uber and WeRide Partner to Bring Robotaxis to Dubai

Uber and WeRide’s collaboration in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is gaining momentum. On April 2nd, the two companies announced a partnership with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority to deploy robotaxis in the country.

This follows their December 2024 announcement about jointly launching robotaxis in Abu Dhabi, which are expected to go live by the end of the year. The Abu Dhabi robotaxis are scheduled to come online by the end of the year, and a specific timeline for the Dubai launch has not yet been disclosed.

While Uber and WeRide gear up for commercial launch, fellow Chinese robotaxi developer Baidu is also entering the UAE market, with plans to expand its Apollo Go service in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

With Chinese nationals making up roughly 4% of the UAE population, Baidu may face challenges in getting individuals to download and use their Apollo Go app. In contrast, WeRide has a strategic advantage through its partnership with Uber, as they have operated in Dubai since 2013. Additionally, Uber owns Careem, a Dubai-based super app, which could potentially make WeRide’s robotaxis on their platform as well.

Could Baidu eventually come to the realization that it’s brand is not translating very well in the UAE market and pursue a partnership with Uber to launch Apollo Go on its platform? Or is Uber’s deal with WeRide exclusive?

As WeRide and Baidu prepare to launch commercial services in the UAE, there will be a lot to learn and perhaps we will even take a field trip to experience the services first-hand.

There is a lot more going on here than meets the eye. The question now is, what is it and what impact will it have on the global autonomy markets?

Our take: The UAE is emerging as a key hub for Chinese robotaxi providers. As WeRide and Baidu prepare to launch commercial services, we'll be closely monitoring the market for any signals that might emerge as to why they are investing in this market.

Uber is currently ranked #1 with a bullish outlook on the AUTONOMY LEADERBOARD in the software platforms category.

Companies Mentioned: $UBER ( ▼ 0.87% ), $WRD ( ▼ 13.08% ), $BIDU ( ▼ 3.64% ) 

PIQUING OUR INTEREST

The Arizona Model Creates Jobs and Unleashes Economic Prosperity In 2015, Arizona became one of the first states to implement pro-growth, pro-autonomous vehicle policies under then-Governor Ducey. More than a decade later, those policies have paid dividends for the state’s economy as they have created job growth.

Pony AI Secures Autonomous Vehicle Testing Permit in Luxembourg Pony AI is expanding to Europe and opening a research and testing hub in Luxembourg, as the company prepares to expand their robotaxi service into Europe.

Baidu Plans Robotaxi Expansion to Abu Dhabi Baidu is following the lead of fellow Chinese robotaxi company WeRide by expanding to Abu Dhabi, but without Uber. Baidu is planning to launch their Apollo Go commercial robotaxi service by 2026.

WeRide’s Profitability Depends on Regulation and Public Trust WeRide’s losses are widening as the company expands operations globally. Founder & CEO Tony Han hopes to achieve profitability within five years, citing regulatory challenges and the need to build public trust as key hurdles that have to be overcome.

📰 Before these stories were featured here, they were available on X. Follow @RoadToAutonomy today to stay up-to-date on the latest news and developments shaping the autonomy economy.

SOCIAL BUZZ | AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

Unsupervised Appears to Be on Target for June

Elon is taking the hype-level to eleven. Whether or not, Tesla launches in June is a moot point at this time. If Tesla does indeed hit their June goal, expect an extremely positive reaction from the market.

Our take: The million dollar questions are will there be an ODD (Operational Design Domain) and will this be the launch of the Cybercab and the Tesla Robotaxi network?

Tesla is currently ranked #1 with a bullish outlook on the AUTONOMY LEADERBOARD in the personally-owned autonomous vehicle category.

Companies Mentioned: $TSLA ( ▼ 4.9% ) 

SOCIAL BUZZ | AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

Baidu’s Apollo Go Robotaxi Service is Expanding to Dubai

On March 28th, Baidu announced that they are expanding their Apollo Go robotaxi service to Dubai later this year. The service will initially begin with 100 fully autonomous vehicles with the goal of expanding the Dubai fleet to over 1,000 vehicles in the future.

Our take: The UAE (United Arab Emirates) is emerging as an autonomy hub with China-based autonomous vehicles companies taking the lead in terms of deployments. It’s a market that we are watching to see how it evolves.

Companies Mentioned: $BIDU ( ▼ 3.64% ) 

THE ROAD TO AUTONOMY PODCAST

Lyft’s Autonomous Vehicle Strategy: How Hybrid Networks, Partnerships & Fleets Will Change Rideshare

(April 1, 2025) Jeremy Bird, EVP, Driver Experience, Lyft joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss Lyft’s approach to autonomous vehicles and why Lyft is embracing a hybrid network strategy.

Watch on YouTube | Spotify | X

Lyft is currently ranked #2 with a positive outlook on the AUTONOMY LEADERBOARD in the autonomous trucks category.

Companies Mentioned: $LYFT ( ▼ 4.78% ) 

AUTONOMY MARKETS PODCAST

Waymo Opens Door to Rivals, Uber Debate Heats Up, Tariffs Winners & Losers

(April 5, 2025) This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss Waymo’s unforced error with the Zeekr RT robotaxi, Uber’s future with autonomous vehicles and the winners and losers from the latest round of tariffs.

Watch on YouTube | Spotify | X

Companies Mentioned: $GOOGL ( ▼ 1.4% ), $UBER ( ▼ 0.87% ), $LYFT ( ▼ 4.78% ), $TSLA ( ▼ 4.9% )