The Vergecast We can’t quit electric cars — or robotaxis
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Feb 25, 2025 
Transportation reporter Andy Hawkins shares insights on the current shift in the electric vehicle industry, spotlighting the slowing pace of EV production and the renewed interest in robotaxis. He discusses why legacy automakers are struggling to adapt, especially against the backdrop of rising competition from Chinese manufacturers. Meanwhile, Evan Prodromou reveals updates on the ActivityPub protocol and the evolution of the fediverse, discussing platforms like Mastodon and Bluesky, and sharing thoughts on the future of decentralized social networking.
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Robotaxi Landscape
- Automakers are shifting away from full autonomy due to high costs and long development timelines.
- This leaves Waymo as the leading robo-taxi company, partnering with Uber in Austin and Atlanta.
Uber and Lyft's Return to Robotaxis
- Uber and Lyft's renewed interest in robo-taxis is driven by their newfound profitability and investor pressure.
- Waymo's expansion into new markets affects Uber's share price.
Zoox and Waymo's Approaches
- Zoox, Amazon's robo-taxi company, uses purpose-built vehicles without pedals or steering wheels.
- Waymo still uses retrofitted regular cars, indicating they are not ready for purpose-built vehicles yet.