Former Waymo CEO shares brutally honest take on Tesla's Robotaxi service
Published on Aug 18, 2025 at 10:26 PM (UTC+4)
by Callum Tokody
Last updated on Aug 18, 2025 at 1:27 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
Tesla Robotaxi is under fire from former Waymo CEO John Krafcik, who dismissed Elon Musk’s claims of autonomy and argued the service resembles an upgraded ride-hailing app.
Krafcik said Tesla’s system cannot be considered a Robotaxi because it still requires a human inside the car.
He compared the Bay Area rollout to Uber rather than a breakthrough in self-driving.
The remarks have sharpened the debate over what Tesla Robotaxi actually delivers and how it fits into the race for driverless transport.
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Waymo verdict on Tesla Robotaxi
Krafcik, who led Waymo during its early commercial launches, argued that Tesla Robotaxi falls short of the standard needed to qualify as autonomous.
California law requires the company to keep a safety driver in every vehicle, meaning Tesla cannot operate without human oversight.
“Please let me know when Tesla launches a robotaxi, I’m still waiting,” Krafcik said.
He also compared Tesla’s invite-only rides to a standard ride-hailing trip, saying the service felt closer to Uber than a self-driving program.
Krafcik added he had no plans to try Tesla Robotaxi.
The comments highlight the divide between Waymo and Tesla, with Waymo securing approvals to run driverless fleets and Tesla testing supervised cars tied to its Full Self-Driving software.
Elon Musk, however, has not lowered his ambitions.
On Tesla’s second-quarter earnings call, he said Tesla Robotaxi could reach more than half of the US population by the end of the year.
The projection faces obstacles, as Tesla does not have the permits required to operate unsupervised in California.
Musk responds
After Krafcik’s remarks, Elon Musk defended Tesla Robotaxi on social media.
He said critics would eventually shift from calling Tesla’s self-driving ‘fake’ to claiming it is ‘unfairly good.’
The statement reflects Elon Musk’s confidence in the service despite regulatory limits.
Tesla’s version is still invite-only in the San Francisco Bay Area, and every trip includes a safety driver.
That contrasts with Waymo, which has approval to operate driverless rides in several US cities.
The difference explains why Tesla Robotaxi continues to face scrutiny from industry leaders.
Tesla’s market performance adds another layer.
UK sales fell more than 60 percent in July, while deliveries in Norway rose 24 percent with over 13,000 vehicles registered.
The mixed results show both the challenges Tesla faces and the momentum it can still generate.
With Krafcik questioning Tesla Robotaxi’s progress and Elon Musk pressing forward with bold targets, the program remains one of the most contested experiments in the move toward driverless travel.
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Callum Tokody is a content writer at Supercar Blondie, where he covers the latest in the automotive world with a focus on design and performance. Callum has a background in automotive journalism and has contributed to a range of publications in Australia and the UK. Outside of work, he’s a design enthusiast with a soft spot for anything with a V8 and a good story.
