Waymo dominates autonomous vehicle registrations as Tesla trails behind

At a glance:

• Waymo leads Texas autonomous vehicle registrations with 577 vehicles, far ahead of Tesla's 42
• Avride has 317 vehicles, Nuro 47, and MOIA operates 12 electric microbuses in the state
• Self-driving truck data shows Aurora with 91 trucks, Gatik AI with 64, Kodiak AI with 33, and Waabi with 13

Texas mandates transparency with new AV registration tracker

Texas has become the latest state to bring clarity to the often-opaque world of autonomous vehicle deployment by launching a public-facing vehicle registration tracker. The tool, which went live as part of a new law that took effect May 28, requires companies testing or deploying autonomous vehicles (AVs) in the state to formally register their fleets and share safety information with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. This represents a significant step toward accountability in a rapidly evolving sector where deployment numbers have historically been difficult to verify.

The automated vehicle tracker provides the first accurate and easily accessible accounting of how many autonomous vehicles are currently operating or testing in Texas. Prior to this requirement, fleet sizes were largely based on company announcements and third-party estimates, creating a patchwork of potentially outdated or incomplete information. The new system mandates that companies submit regular updates, creating a more reliable dataset for researchers, policymakers, and the general public.

Waymo's commanding lead in Texas AV registrations

According to the newly published data, Alphabet-owned Waymo holds a dominant position in Texas autonomous vehicle registrations with 577 vehicles — a figure that significantly outpaces its closest competitors. Avride follows in second place with 317 registered autonomous vehicles, while Nuro has 47 vehicles registered in the state. Tesla, which launched a robotaxi service in Austin last summer and has since expanded to Dallas and Houston, has registered 42 autonomous vehicles.

Other notable entries in the Texas AV registry include Volkswagen subsidiary MOIA, which operates a fleet of 12 electric, autonomous microbuses. Zoox, another competitor in the commercial robotaxi space, is also listed but without a specific vehicle count provided in the initial data release. These numbers reflect vehicles that have been officially registered with the state, though they do not necessarily indicate how many are actively in service or generating revenue.

The limitations of fleet size as a competitive metric

While the registration data provides valuable insight into the state of autonomous vehicle deployment in Texas, it comes with important caveats that potential observers should consider. Fleet registration numbers alone do not reveal how many vehicles are actively being used for commercial operations, how frequently they're deployed, or their operational availability. Many companies listed — including Nuro and Zoox — are not currently operating commercially, which affects the practical interpretation of their registered vehicle counts.

Additionally, the data does not capture the operational status of individual vehicles. Waymo, for instance, recently paused operations in some Texas cities earlier this month due to issues with how its vehicles operate around flood conditions. This highlights how even market leaders can face temporary operational challenges that affect service delivery despite having larger registered fleets.

Self-driving truck deployment shows diverse landscape

Beyond passenger vehicles, the Texas AV tracker also captures data on autonomous truck deployments, revealing a varied landscape in the commercial freight sector. Aurora, a publicly traded company that launched a commercial driverless trucking business in May 2025, leads this category with 91 self-driving trucks registered in Texas.

Gatik AI, a startup focused specifically on self-driving mid-sized trucks, maintains a fleet of 64 vehicles. Kodiak AI follows with 33 self-driving trucks, while Waabi has 13 vehicles in its fleet. This data suggests that while passenger autonomous vehicle development has been dominated by a few major players, the trucking sector shows more distributed innovation across multiple companies with different specializations.

Waymo's expansion strategy amid operational challenges

Waymo's substantial lead in Texas registrations aligns with its aggressive expansion strategy in the state. The company launched its commercial robotaxi service in Austin in March 2025 and has since extended operations to Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. This geographic spread across major Texas metropolitan areas positions Waymo as the most broadly deployed autonomous vehicle service in the state.

However, Waymo's dominance faces some operational headwinds. The company recently paused operations in some Texas cities due to challenges with how its vehicles navigate flood conditions. This incident demonstrates the complex environmental factors that autonomous vehicle companies must navigate, even those with the largest fleet footprints. The ability to maintain consistent service despite weather-related challenges remains a critical factor in evaluating long-term competitive positioning.

What this means for the autonomous vehicle industry

The Texas DMV's AV tracker represents more than just a local regulatory measure — it signals a broader trend toward mandatory transparency in the autonomous vehicle industry. As more states consider similar requirements, companies will need to balance public disclosure obligations with competitive considerations.

For consumers and businesses, this data provides clearer visibility into which companies are making good on their autonomous vehicle deployment promises. For investors, the registration numbers offer a quantifiable metric to track progress in an industry that has often been discussed in terms of timelines and ambitions rather than concrete achievements. The Texas dataset may serve as a model for other states looking to create accountability mechanisms for emerging transportation technologies.