TechCrunch Mobility: Is $16B Enough to Build a Profitable Robotaxi Business?

Summary

TechCrunch Mobility's February 8, 2026 newsletter examined whether Waymo's recently disclosed $16 billion in fresh investment is sufficient to build a profitable autonomous vehicle business. Waymo now operates commercial robotaxi services in six U.S. markets (San Francisco Bay Area, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Austin, Atlanta, and Miami), provides 400,000 rides per week, and has plans to expand to more than a dozen new cities internationally including London and Tokyo. In 2025 it tripled its annual ri