{"id":729408,"date":"2026-05-25T04:00:27","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T01:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/techcrunch-mobility-robotaxi-reality-check\/"},"modified":"2026-05-25T04:00:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T01:00:27","slug":"techcrunch-mobility-robotaxi-reality-check","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/techcrunch-mobility-robotaxi-reality-check\/","title":{"rendered":"TechCrunch Mobility: Robotaxi reality check"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a42c9fe770f8\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a42c9fe770f8\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/techcrunch-mobility-robotaxi-reality-check\/#Situationship_or_corporationmaxxing\" >Situationship or corporationmaxxing?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/techcrunch-mobility-robotaxi-reality-check\/#Deals\" >Deals!<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/techcrunch-mobility-robotaxi-reality-check\/#Notable_reads_and_other_tidbits\" >Notable reads and other tidbits<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/techcrunch-mobility-robotaxi-reality-check\/#One_more_thing_%E2%80%A6\" >One more thing \u2026<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<p id=\"speakable-summary\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility \u2014 your central hub for <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a> and insights on the future of transportation. To get this in your inbox, sign up here for free \u2014 just click TechCrunch Mobility!<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Robotaxis are here! And yet, they\u2019re not.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That contradiction neatly captures <strong>Waymo\u2019s<\/strong> current reality. Anyone walking around San Francisco could reasonably declare that robotaxis have arrived. But arrival, even at scale, doesn\u2019t guarantee permanence. Such is the dogged threat hanging over every company trying to commercialize autonomous vehicles.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Waymo paused operations in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio because its robotaxis are struggling to deal with heavy rain and flooded roads \u2014 and specifically knowing when not to enter them. As I prepared to send this newsletter, we learned the company extended that to Austin and Nashville as well. It\u2019s been a persistent problem for Waymo, which prompted the company to issue a recall last week.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the same week, Waymo halted robotaxi operations on freeways in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Miami as it works to improve performance in construction zones.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For now, the arrival of robotaxis is conditional. That doesn\u2019t mean this conditional status will last forever, but it\u2019s a reminder that launching commercially is not mission accomplished. Waymo \u2014 arguably the leader in commercial robotaxi ridership and fleet size \u2014 is in the thick of that process. For every new city it enters or capability it unlocks, a new edge case is discovered.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"situationship-or-corporationmaxxing\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Situationship_or_corporationmaxxing\"><\/span><strong>Situationship or corporationmaxxing?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m ditching my \u201cLittle bird\u201d section this week to dive into <strong>SpaceX<\/strong>, its IPO, and the situationship in the <strong>Elon Musk <\/strong>business universe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I typically don\u2019t dedicate too much space in this newsletter to space. Heh. But the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sec.gov\/Archives\/edgar\/data\/1181412\/000162828026036936\/spaceexplorationtechnologi.htm\">SpaceX IPO filing<\/a> dropped this week, and the man at its helm is also deeply tied to <strong>Tesla<\/strong>. So, here we are, talking about space and, more specifically, how Elon Musk uses resources from one company to service another.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The interconnected nature of Tesla and SpaceX isn\u2019t a secret; Tesla is a publicly traded company and does disclose financial transactions with other Musk-affiliated entities. This new IPO filing does the same and with a bit more detail. And now that Musk\u2019s company <strong>xAI<\/strong> has merged with SpaceX, the IPO puts all of these transactions under one company.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, SpaceX purchased $506 million of Tesla\u2019s commercial energy storage products, called Megapack, in 2025 \u2014 nearly a threefold increase from the previous year. SpaceX also bought $131 million of Cybertrucks last year. SpaceX paid Musk\u2019s infrastructure firm, The Boring Company, $1 million to construct tunnels in Bastrop, Texas. Musk\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">social media<\/a> company X, which was acquired by xAI last year and has since merged with SpaceX, also spent $1 million leasing space from The Boring Company.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then there is Tesla\u2019s investment in xAI. Following SpaceX\u2019s acquisition of xAI, that investment was converted into an equity interest in SpaceX.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These costs will likely be eclipsed by two future SpaceX-Tesla projects: building Terafab, a chip-manufacturing facility, and Macrohard, an AI platform the two companies are developing that will use autonomous agents to augment the work of humans.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All of this leads to my question for you. Will SpaceX and Tesla merge? <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To participate in our polls, sign up here to get TechCrunch Mobility directly in your inbox!<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For other SpaceX coverage, check out these stories:<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Everything in the SpaceX IPO filing<br \/>A breakdown of how Elon Musk increased his power\u00a0<br \/>Who will benefit most?<br \/>xAI burned through $6.4B last year<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><br \/>xAI keeps turning to gas turbines to power data centers<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-deals\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Deals\"><\/span>Deals!<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"170\" width=\"680\" src=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/money-the-station.png?w=680\" alt=\"money the station\" class=\"wp-image-1896226\" srcset=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/money-the-station.png 1024w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/money-the-station.png?resize=150,38 150w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/money-the-station.png?resize=300,75 300w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/money-the-station.png?resize=768,192 768w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/money-the-station.png?resize=680,170 680w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/money-the-station.png?resize=430,108 430w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/money-the-station.png?resize=720,180 720w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/money-the-station.png?resize=900,225 900w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/money-the-station.png?resize=800,200 800w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/money-the-station.png?resize=668,167 668w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/money-the-station.png?resize=708,177 708w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/money-the-station.png?resize=50,13 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span class=\"wp-block-image__credits\"><strong>Image Credits:<\/strong>Bryce Durbin<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Aboard<\/strong>, a Southern California-based startup developing extended-range electric <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">travel<\/a> trailers, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.prnewswire.com\/news-releases\/aboard-completes-pre-series-a-funding-bringing-total-raise-to-13-million-for-next-gen-travel-trailer-302779246.html\">raised $13 million<\/a> in a pre-<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Series<\/a> A round led by Ondine Capital and Llama Ventures. Fun fact: The company hired Richard Kim \u2014 an automotive designer known for his work on the BMW i3 and i8 and as co-founder of the defunct EV startup Canoo \u2014 as a consultant.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Quartermaster<\/strong>, an Arlington, Virginia-based startup developing a distributed sensing network for ships, raised $43 million in a Series A funding round co-led by First Round Capital and Quiet Capital.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>May Mobility<\/strong>, an autonomous vehicle <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a> startup, formed a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/ir.ecarxgroup.com\/news-releases\/news-release-details\/ecarx-and-may-mobility-scale-autonomous-ride-hail-fleet\">strategic agreement<\/a> with <strong>Ecarx<\/strong>, an automotive tech company backed by Geely founder Li Shufu. Under the deal, Ecarx will supply May Mobility with thousands of purpose-built robotaxi vehicles. The companies plan to partner with a third party to initially deploy the AVs next year and scale to commercialization by 2028. The total value of the project is estimated to be about $750 million over its entire duration.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Scapia<\/strong>, an Indian travel booking startup, raised $63 million in a funding round led by <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">General<\/a> Catalyst, with existing investors Peak XV Partners and Z47 also participating.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Uber<\/strong> increased its stake and now owns 19.5% of German food delivery company Delivery Hero, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2026-05-18\/uber-boosts-stake-in-delivery-hero-says-no-takeover-for-now\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Bloomberg reported<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-notable-reads-and-other-tidbits\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Notable_reads_and_other_tidbits\"><\/span>Notable reads and other tidbits<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"171\" width=\"680\" src=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/the-station-ride-hailing1.png?w=680\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1926823\" srcset=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/the-station-ride-hailing1.png 1024w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/the-station-ride-hailing1.png?resize=150,38 150w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/the-station-ride-hailing1.png?resize=300,75 300w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/the-station-ride-hailing1.png?resize=768,193 768w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/the-station-ride-hailing1.png?resize=680,171 680w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/the-station-ride-hailing1.png?resize=430,108 430w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/the-station-ride-hailing1.png?resize=720,181 720w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/the-station-ride-hailing1.png?resize=900,226 900w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/the-station-ride-hailing1.png?resize=800,201 800w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/the-station-ride-hailing1.png?resize=668,168 668w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/the-station-ride-hailing1.png?resize=708,178 708w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/the-station-ride-hailing1.png?resize=50,13 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span class=\"wp-block-image__credits\"><strong>Image Credits:<\/strong>Bryce Durbin<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Bryan Reimer<\/strong>, a research scientist at MIT, shared his <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=kFXjXfEh1MY&amp;feature=youtu.be\">recent presentation<\/a> on AI and how its future depends on human behavior, governance, and trust.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The global EV economy is K-shaped, and this is the country that is being left behind.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Lyft<\/strong> <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lyft.com\/blog\/posts\/the-network-no-av-can-build-alone\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">published a blog<\/a> that lays out the company\u2019s position on autonomous vehicles. In its view \u2014 and one that is similar to rival <strong>Uber<\/strong> \u2014 a ride-hailing service requires human drivers and robot ones. This makes sense politically; Lyft doesn\u2019t want to rattle its human gig workers. It also reflects the realities of where robotaxis are, in terms of scale. The upshot: Robotaxis are not a part of daily life for most people in the United States.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Self-driving tech startup <strong>Nuro<\/strong> hired Michael Mancini as its <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businesswire.com\/news\/home\/20260519292051\/en\/Nuro-Appoints-Mike-Mancini-as-Chief-Financial-Officer\">chief financial officer<\/a>. Mancini was previously CFO at Energy Recovery, Astranis Space Technologies, and Aerion Supersonic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Stellantis<\/strong>, the automaker behind the Jeep and Ram brands, has t<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ed self-driving startup <strong>Wayve<\/strong> to bring hands-free driving to its vehicles in 2028. Meanwhile, Stellantis unveiled its $70 billion turnaround plan, which includes 11 new models for North America \u2014 and even some Chryslers!<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Tesla\u2019s<\/strong> Full Self-Driving (Supervised) driver-assistance software is now available in Lithuania. This is the second European country to approve its use. Reminder: Making FSD available in Europe is critical to Tesla\u2019s and CEO Elon Musk\u2019s ambitions. It\u2019s also financially important for Musk, whose $1 trillion pay package is tied to hitting a number of product goals, including hitting \u201c10 million active FSD subscriptions\u201d by 2035.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A San Francisco doctor who sued <strong>Waymo<\/strong> because its identity-verification system misidentified him as a terrorist <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/articles\/f-doctor-sued-waymo-allegedly-033412406.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">dropped the lawsuit<\/a> after the company resolved the issue.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"One_more_thing_%E2%80%A6\"><\/span>One more thing \u2026<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"510\" width=\"680\" src=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/nissan-leaf-2026.jpg?w=680\" alt=\"2026 Nissan Leaf Platinum+\" class=\"wp-image-3125682\" srcset=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/nissan-leaf-2026.jpg 1980w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/nissan-leaf-2026.jpg?resize=150,113 150w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/nissan-leaf-2026.jpg?resize=300,225 300w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/nissan-leaf-2026.jpg?resize=768,576 768w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/nissan-leaf-2026.jpg?resize=680,510 680w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/nissan-leaf-2026.jpg?resize=1200,900 1200w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/nissan-leaf-2026.jpg?resize=1280,960 1280w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/nissan-leaf-2026.jpg?resize=430,323 430w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/nissan-leaf-2026.jpg?resize=720,540 720w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/nissan-leaf-2026.jpg?resize=900,675 900w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/nissan-leaf-2026.jpg?resize=800,600 800w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/nissan-leaf-2026.jpg?resize=1536,1152 1536w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/nissan-leaf-2026.jpg?resize=668,501 668w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/nissan-leaf-2026.jpg?resize=500,375 500w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/nissan-leaf-2026.jpg?resize=823,617 823w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/nissan-leaf-2026.jpg?resize=708,531 708w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/nissan-leaf-2026.jpg?resize=50,38 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span class=\"wp-block-image__credits\"><strong>Image Credits:<\/strong>Kirsten Korosec<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The last time I was in a <strong>Nissan Leaf<\/strong> was two years ago when I test drove a 2024 Nissan Leaf SV Plus, which cost $37,815 (including the destination fee). And at the time, I described the experience as a mixed bag. I recently got back in one, this time a <strong>2026 Nissan Leaf Platinum+<\/strong>, priced at $42,635, including destination charges and some special add-ons like two-tone paint and the floor mat package.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This model, the third generation of the Leaf, had an improved EPA estimated range of 259 miles (and some versions go above 300 miles). But that wasn\u2019t the first upgrade I noticed. This new Leaf had a lighter, more modern, dare I say upscale, interior cabin. I won\u2019t quite say \u201csleek,\u201d but it was enjoyable and a notable upgrade. (Notice the cool lighting at night in the picture above?) My version, which should be noted was the top trim, came with a wireless phone-charging pad, dimming panoramic roof, a heads-up display, and a long, curved 14.3-inch central screen.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last time, I complained about the lack of tech for a vehicle priced above $30,000 \u2014 like a backup camera with high resolution.\u00a0There are several notable improvements that come standard and correct my previous criticism, including a 360-degree camera, wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and adaptive cruise control. This time around, I was happy to get back in a Nissan Leaf.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Got a tip for us? Email Kirsten Korosec at\u00a0<\/em><em>kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com<\/em><em>\u00a0or my Signal at kkorosec.07, or email Sean O\u2019Kane at\u00a0<\/em><em>sean.okane@techcrunch.com<\/em><em>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Technology<\/a><\/span> category.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2026\/05\/24\/techcrunch-mobility-robotaxi-reality-check\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility \u2014 your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. To get this in your inbox, sign up here for free \u2014 just click TechCrunch Mobility! Robotaxis are here! And yet, they\u2019re not.\u00a0 That contradiction neatly captures Waymo\u2019s current reality. Anyone walking around San Francisco could reasonably&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":729409,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/waymo-back-getty.jpg?resize=1200,800","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[39394,152303,70678,152623,36402,73295,152624,151707],"class_list":["post-729408","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-elon-musk","tag-robotaxi","tag-spacex","tag-techcrunch-mobility","tag-tesla","tag-transportation","tag-waymo","tag-xai"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/729408","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=729408"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/729408\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/729409"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=729408"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=729408"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=729408"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}