Alphabet-owned robotaxi company Waymo has been operating driverless ride-hailing services in San Francisco for around six months, and new data shows where riders are going most with the service.
Waymo riders most commonly travel to Hayes Valley, Mission Bay, South of Market, and to the Mission District, according to a report from The San Francisco Chronicle citing data the company is required to report to state regulators. Between September and February, Waymo robotaxis carried over 530,000 passengers around the city, most frequently bringing passengers to job centers like the Financial District, event hubs like the Chase Center, and other areas—especially those with difficult parking situations.
Waymo driverless robotaxi attacked and set on fire in San Francisco
“Those areas definitely resonate with low parking availability and therefore provide a better or an easier way to get around the city versus driving your own cars,” said Aman Nalavade, Waymo group product manager.
Nalavade also says that many of the passengers utilizing Waymo are “power riders” who use the service on an almost daily basis for their work commute, while Friday and Saturday nights remain popular riding nights. In addition, some riders prefer the “private environment” offered by Waymo’s robotaxis for trips to and from medical appointments.
The data also shows that over 12,000 individual rides ended within the census tract in the Mission Bay, though the company has conducted driverless rides in every census tract within the city. Fewer rides were reported to start or end in Bayview, Excelsior, Ingleside and around the Outer Sunset district.
Waymo was approved last month to expand its areas of operation in California, including the launch of Los Angeles services and an expansion into the peninsula of San Francisco. You can see the area in which Waymo is approved to operate in San Francisco below.
Credit: Waymo
Still, public acceptance of robotaxi operations remains hit or miss, especially after a driverless ride-hailing vehicle from General Motors (GM) self-driving unit Cruise hit, dragged and pinned a pedestrian in San Francisco in October. As for Waymo, the company’s expansion could face additional legal barriers, as a recently proposed bill aims to give communities more control over where their robotaxis can legally operate.
The company’s expansions were also contested by the city of South San Francisco, San Mateo County, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, the San Francisco County Transportation Authority, and the San Francisco Taxi Workers Alliance.
Waymo and Cruise both gained initial approval to conduct commercial rides 24 hours a day with the driverless vehicles from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in August, though the state suspended Cruise’s license immediately following the accident.
The data also arrives ahead of Tesla’s plans to unveil a highly anticipated robotaxi platform in August, as announced by Elon Musk earlier this month.
What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send your tips to us at tips@teslarati.com.
News
Tesla just teased something crazy with the next Full Self-Driving update

Tesla just teased something crazy with the next Full Self-Driving update, which will be released to Early Access Program (EAP) members today.
Tesla just recently released the v14 Full Self-Driving update, and it followed up just a few days later with v14.1.1.
The subsequent release helped refine a handful of things, especially an issue with stuttering at intersections and overall indecisiveness, but it was more of a smoothing over of the initial v14.1 Full Self-Driving release.
However, on Wednesday evening, Tesla’s Head of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, said that the company would be releasing v14.1.2 to EAP members today, and that it would “debut a much-awaited feature.”
He followed that up with a racecar emoji and a smoke emoji, potentially hinting toward something speed-related. However, it could mean something totally different.
FSD v14.1.2, going to early access today, will debut a much awaited feature 🏎️💨
— Ashok Elluswamy (@aelluswamy) October 15, 2025
Some suggested it was potentially a new Speed Profile that could rank above the “Hurry” option, but that seems unnecessary. As far as other features that have been teased, one that definitely comes to mind is the “Banish” feature that was recently teased by CEO Elon Musk.
Banish is essentially the finishing touch to Tesla’s Actually Smart Summon (ASS), which launched earlier this year.
While ASS will bring your car to your location using the Tesla app on your phone, Banish does just the opposite by dropping you off at the door of your destination and finding a parking spot on its own.
Elon Musk teases ‘Banish’ feature to pair perfectly with Summon
This was recently teased by Musk yet again, as he said earlier this month that Full Self-Driving would be capable of it very soon.
Based on what we’ve seen out of v14.1 and v14.1.1, there is some potential that Banish could be released and could be the feature that Elluswamy is hinting toward, although there is no direct evidence of that.
Luckily, I was able to get into the EAP, so as the feature is released and the Release Notes are available, we’ll be able to report on exactly what feature is on the way.
News
Tesla benefits from new incentive program that’s active after tax credit loss

Tesla benefits from an incentive program in Texas that has become active following the loss of the $7,500 EV tax credit, which was a significant advantage for EV drivers.
In Texas, the State Commission on Environmental Quality has a grant program for light-duty motor vehicles that are either purchased or leased by consumers.
Referred to as the Light-Duty Motor Vehicle Purchase or Lease Incentive Program (LDPLIP), the program opened on October 13 and provides grants for consumers who want to buy new energy vehicles.
Will Tesla thrive without the EV tax credit? Five reasons why they might
The program allows for grants of up to $2,500 for electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
These are the eligibility criteria:
- Individuals or entities who purchase or lease an eligible vehicle on or after September 1, 2025, and who apply for or acquire title and registration of the vehicle in Texas
- Applicants must have taken possession of the vehicle before applying
- Applicants must commit to operating and registering the vehicle in Texas for at least one year
Additionally, the car must:
- Be included on the TCEQ Eligible Vehicle List
- Be new and must not have been the subject of any prior retail sale or lease
- Have a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less
They are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
The good news is that Tesla’s entire vehicle lineup, as of October 7, qualifies. Here is what the LDPLIP’s list of qualifying vehicles shows for Tesla:
- Tesla Cybertruck AWD
- Tesla Cybertruck Beast
- Tesla Model S AWD
- Tesla Model S Plaid
- Tesla Model X AWD
- Tesla Model X Plaid
- Tesla Model Y Long Range RWD
- Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD
- Tesla Model Y Performance
- Tesla Model 3 Long Range RWD
- Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD
- Tesla Model 3 Performance
This list was published during the day of October 7, which is coincidentally the same day Tesla launched its Tesla Model 3 ‘Standard’ and Tesla Model Y ‘Standard.’
We reached out to the program to confirm that these vehicles qualify for that grant, and we will update when we hear back.
With the loss of the Federal EV Tax Credit, local programs are still available to help with the cost of an EV. Although electric cars are affordable, there are benefits to choosing one, especially as these grant programs continue to become available.
The full list of vehicles that qualify for the grant is available here.
Elon Musk
Tesla’s pay package saga with Elon Musk enters its final chapter

Tesla has made a last-ditch effort to secure the $56 billion pay package for CEO Elon Musk, which was approved twice by company shareholders, after a Delaware Chancery Court denied the frontman the payday.
Perhaps one of the biggest issues from a standpoint of being fluent in Tesla-related events has been Musk’s pay package.
It was approved by shareholders once in 2018, and required Musk to oversee various growth tranches that would bring investors value. He completed each of the tranches and was entitled to the pay package.
However, the Delaware Chancery Court decided in January 2024 to rescind the pay package, which Musk had earned, based on a suit filed by a shareholder.
Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick ruled that Tesla’s board lacked independence from Musk when the pay package was approved in 2018, and that it should not be granted.
She called it “an unfathomable sum.”
In response to the pay package’s rejection by Chancellor McCormick, Tesla held a second shareholder vote last year, which once again showed investors were willing to support Musk’s payday. It was approved by shareholders, but it was once again denied by the court.
Today, Tesla attorneys argued to the Delaware Supreme Court that the pay package should be restored because of last year’s vote by shareholders.
Jeffrey Wall, an attorney for Tesla, said (via Reuters):
“This was the most informed stockholder vote in Delaware history. Reaffirming that would resolve this case. Shareholders in 2024 knew exactly what they were voting.”
In a response to the decision by the Delaware courts last year, Tesla proposed a new pay package for Musk in September, which would give him a potentially $1 trillion compensation plan. It would require Musk to help Tesla reach several performance-based growth milestones, including achieving an $8.5 trillion market cap.
Elon Musk’s new pay plan ties trillionaire status to Tesla’s $8.5 trillion valuation
Musk is currently worth $483 billion, making him the richest person in the world. If he were to achieve his pay package tranches, granted the new pay package is passed at the Shareholder Meeting in November, he would easily be the first trillionaire.
-
News12 hours ago
Tesla reportedly places large order for robot parts, hinting that Optimus V3 design is all but finalized
-
News7 hours ago
Tesla makes big move with its Insurance program
-
News1 week ago
Tesla FSD (Supervised) V14.1 with Robotaxi-style dropoffs is here
-
News2 days ago
Tesla Autopilot visualization gets big upgrade with tons of new additions
-
News1 week ago
Tesla all but confirms that affordable Model Y is coming Tuesday
-
News1 week ago
Tesla Optimus steals the show during TRON: ARES premiere
-
Elon Musk12 hours ago
Starship’s next chapter: SpaceX eyes tower catch after flawless Flight 11
-
Elon Musk2 weeks ago
Elon Musk announces ‘Grokipedia’ as Wikipedia alternative from xAI