Waymo has outpaced its competitors by registering nearly 600 autonomous vehicles in Texas, according to new data from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. The data, released as part of a new law requiring autonomous vehicle (AV) companies to register, provides a clear picture of the state's AV landscape.
Waymo's Significant Lead
The tool, a result of legislation effective May 28, mandates AV companies to disclose fleet sizes and safety information. Waymo, owned by Alphabet, registered 577 vehicles, leading the pack. Avride follows with 317 vehicles, while Nuro has 47. Tesla, despite launching a robotaxi service in Austin last summer and expanding to Dallas and Houston, has only registered 42 vehicles. Volkswagen subsidiary MOIA has 12 autonomous microbuses in the state.
Commercial Operations and Gaps
While fleet size is a marker of presence, it doesn't fully reflect operational activity. Companies like Nuro and Zoox are not yet commercially operational. Waymo, for example, paused operations in some cities due to flooding issues. Yet, it remains dominant in Texas, launching a commercial service in Austin in March 2025 and expanding to Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.
Self-Driving Trucks in Texas
The DMV's tool also tracks autonomous trucks. Aurora, a publicly traded company, leads with 91 self-driving trucks since launching its driverless trucking business in May 2025. Kodiak AI and Waabi trail with 33 and 13 trucks respectively, while Gatik AI operates 64 mid-sized self-driving trucks.
This registration tool offers ongoing insights into the growth and distribution of autonomous vehicles in Texas.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/28/waymo-dominates-texas-autonomous-vehicle-registrations-as-tesla-trails-behind/
