TL;DR
Texas keeps a list of every car cleared to run as a commercial driverless vehicle, and Tesla just took the top spot on it. As of Nov. 10, Tesla had 1,302 vehicles registered to Waymo's 1,297, a lead of five cars, according to figures reported by EVXL. In May the count was 42 to 577. Being on the list means permission to drive, not proof of riders, and Waymo still runs the far bigger driverless fleet nationwide. But a two-company race in the same state is how riders get more cars, more coverage and pressure on prices, and 573 of Tesla's registered cars are Cybercabs, the two-seater built with no steering wheel or pedals. The same week, the city council in Washington, D.C., set a committee vote on whether robotaxis can operate there at all. Our odds on when Tesla's fleet catches Waymo's nationwide, and on driverless rides in the capital, are below the line, along with the timeline of what has to happen first. To get them, subscribe.
Below the line, for paid subscribers: The full story: where it stands, how we got here and what's dated next; our labeled speculation on what it adds up to; and every source.