Evercore Reaffirms Alphabet’s Search Dominance as AI Competition Intensifies 
SUPERFORTUNE Launches AI-Powered Mobile App, Expanding Beyond Web3 Into $392 Billion Metaphysics Market 
Trello Outage Disrupts Users as Access Issues Hit Atlassian’s Work Management Platform 
SoftBank Shares Slide as Oracle’s AI Spending Plans Fuel Market Jitters 
Trump’s Approval of AI Chip Sales to China Triggers Bipartisan National Security Concerns 
Intel’s Testing of China-Linked Chipmaking Tools Raises U.S. National Security Concerns 
CMOC to Acquire Equinox Gold’s Brazilian Mines in $1 Billion Deal to Expand Precious Metals Portfolio 
HSBC’s $13.6 Billion Take-Private Offer for Hang Seng Bank Gains Board Backing 
Australia Enforces World-First Social Media Age Limit as Global Regulation Looms 
Coca-Cola’s Costa Coffee Sale Faces Uncertainty as Talks With TDR Capital Hit Snag 
Coca-Cola’s Proposed Sale of Costa Coffee Faces Uncertainty Amid Price Dispute 
SpaceX Begins IPO Preparations as Wall Street Banks Line Up for Advisory Roles 
Moore Threads Stock Slides After Risk Warning Despite 600% Surge Since IPO 
iRobot Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Amid Rising Competition and Tariff Pressures 
Ford Takes $19.5 Billion Charge as EV Strategy Shifts Toward Hybrids 
Azul Airlines Wins Court Approval for $2 Billion Debt Restructuring and New Capital Raise 
Trump Criticizes EU’s €120 Million Fine on Elon Musk’s X Platform 
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.
