Waymo is currently the only autonomous vehicle company generating revenue from robotaxi rides in the U.S., with over 200,000 paid rides weekly as of February. Despite this growth, Waymo is likely still unprofitable for Alphabet, which may be why the company is exploring new revenue streams such as in-vehicle advertising and data sharing for AI models. Alphabet invested an additional $5 billion in Waymo last year, and the company raised $5.6 billion from external investors, boosting its valuation to over $45 billion. However, Waymo remains part of Alphabet's "other bets" category, which recorded a $1.2 billion operating loss in 2024.
Key takeaways:
- Waymo is considering using data from its robotaxis, including interior camera footage linked to rider identities, to train generative AI models and potentially for personalized advertising.
- The draft privacy policy indicates that riders can opt out of data sharing for AI training and personalized ads, in compliance with California's privacy laws.
- Waymo is currently the only autonomous vehicle company generating revenue from robotaxi rides in the U.S., with over 200,000 rides per week as of February.
- Despite its growth, Waymo is still likely operating at a loss, prompting exploration of new revenue streams such as in-vehicle advertising and data sharing for AI models.