Global Autonomous Ground Vehicle (AGV) Developments – June & July 2025
In mid-June 2025, Waymo applied for a New York City permit to begin autonomous car tests with safety drivers, potentially making NYC’s first AV pilot if approved. As of June 2025, Waymo operates about 1,500 self-driving vehicles and handles over 250,000 rides per week across San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin. In late June 2025, Tesla planned limited robotaxi trials with as few as 10 cars, marking its first public foray into autonomous ride-hailing. At the Aspen Ideas Festival on June 27, Ford CEO Jim Farley endorsed LiDAR for safer self-driving and argued for a sensor mix beyond cameras