Waymo Taps Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 for Robotaxi Fleet Ahead of Tesla's Autonomous Ride-Hailing Reveal

Waymo has partnered with Hyundai to integrate IONIQ 5 electric vehicles into its robotaxi fleet, with on-road testing set to begin by 2025. The announcement comes days before Tesla’s expected reveal of its own robotaxi product.

Waymo Teams With Hyundai for Autonomous EV Expansion

As Waymo continues to grow in the US, the firms said on Friday that it will be adding electric vehicles from Hyundai Motor, a South Korean company, to its robotaxi fleet.

They announced that by the end of 2025, on-road testing for the IONIQ 5 SUVs will have commenced. These SUVs will be built in Hyundai's Georgia plant and will be equipped with Waymo's autonomous technology.

IONIQ 5 EVs to Hit the Roads for Testing by 2025

According to Reuters, Waymo is the sole American company running fare-collecting unmanned robotaxis, and it has a fleet of around 700 vehicles.

A few days before Tesla CEO Elon Musk is scheduled to reveal plans for a robotaxi product, which is believed to use a custom-built vehicle, the company has partnered with Hyundai. Also, Musk might reveal that Tesla owners would soon be able to list their cars on a ride-hailing network when they're not in use.

Waymo's Growing Fleet Includes Multiple Global Partners

Waymo has switched to using Jaguar Land Rover I-PACEs, which are owned by Tata Motors of India. Waymo is also putting Zeekr EVs through its paces, which are manufactured by Geely in China. The Hyundai alliance will not directly replace any of Waymo's current car platforms, according to a spokeswoman for the company.

Waymo expanded its operations in metro Phoenix this year and made its service available to everyone in San Francisco without a backlog. The San Francisco Peninsula and some areas of Los Angeles were also included in its service area.

Federal Regulations Challenge Autonomous Vehicle Expansion

"The team at our new manufacturing facility is ready to allocate a significant number of vehicles for the Waymo One fleet as it continues to expand," added Jose Munoz, worldwide COO of Hyundai Motor, in a statement. "We are actively exploring additional opportunities for collaboration."

In spite of the fact that AV technology is subject to strict regulations, federal probes, and general mistrust, Alphabet announced this year that it was planned to invest $5 billion in Waymo over the course of multiple years, based on US News.

Waymo Sees Rapid Growth Amid Competition

Waymo announced in August that, in little over three months, it had increased the number of paid trips it offered from 50,000 to 100,000 as it extended its service areas and made its robotaxis available to a wider audience.

Another competitor is Amazon's Zoox, which is increasing testing for its autonomous vehicles that lack steering wheels and pedals. Another contender is General Motors' Cruise, which is testing cars with human safety drivers following an accident that forced it to remove all of its vehicles off the road last year.