Waymo now conducts 100,000 paid rides weekly, double its May volume, putting it on track for $100M+ annual revenue. More significantly, Uber's partnership with Cruise signals Uber is positioning itself as the dominant platform for autonomous vehicle deployment, potentially becoming a major AV player by market size and revenue.

Motor vehicle insurance CPI rose 1.2% in July and 18.56% year-over-year, the highest since 1976. The article argues rising insurance costs create growth opportunities for Uber and Waymo as consumers seek transportation alternatives, while warning that California's proposed AV ban would worsen the state's economic challenges.

Uber's Q2 earnings beat expectations as CEO Khosrowshahi positions the company as a platform for autonomous vehicles rather than developing its own technology. The strategy includes a growing advertising business projected to exceed $1B this year, similar to AWS for Amazon.

Waymo completed 143,600 paid rides in San Francisco and Los Angeles in May, generating an estimated $1.9 million in revenue at $15 average fare. With Los Angeles expansion underway, the company could reach $4-5 million monthly revenue, positioning Waymo to surpass $100 million annually next year as it transitions from R&D to revenue-generating business.

Alphabet announced a $5 billion investment in Waymo, signaling strong commitment to autonomous vehicles. The article argues Waymo faces a "vehicle problem" lacking an OEM partnership for scale, unlike GM-backed Cruise or vertically-integrated Tesla, potentially limiting it to robotaxis versus personally-owned autonomous vehicles.

The AUTONOMY LEADERBOARD tracks leadership in the emerging autonomous vehicle sector, expanding from robotaxis and trucks to include personally owned AVs and software platforms. The July update introduces "Outlooks" ratings (Bullish, Positive, Break Out, Neutral) to assess which companies are establishing clear commercialization paths versus those facing business uncertainties.

Tesla's robotaxi unveiling delay triggered market overreaction: TSLA fell 8.44% while Uber and Lyft gained, then largely reversed next day. Author argues market misunderstands robotaxi economics, suggesting Lyft lacks autonomous positioning while Tesla could benefit from acquiring Lyft's TNC platform to accelerate its ride-hailing network.

China is rapidly advancing autonomous vehicle deployment through state support, while U.S. federal inaction creates regulatory uncertainty that deters investment. The thesis: America risks ceding autonomy leadership to China unless Congress establishes clear federal AV policy framework soon.

Venture capital is returning to autonomy with institutional investors planning to deploy billions by year-end. The article emphasizes companies should focus on profitability and expansion into adjacent sectors like defense, citing Kodiak, Overland AI, and Anduril as examples successfully attracting investment.

Wall Street analysts are reassessing autonomous vehicles as a major investment opportunity, viewing the sector as a trillion-dollar-plus market. The shift comes as concerns grow over political obstacles, including Delaware's proposed ban on autonomous trucks that could damage regional freight economics along the I-95 corridor.

Cruise expanded manual driving operations to Houston, marking its third city for resumed testing with safety drivers. The newsletter discusses three emerging business models for autonomous vehicles: robotaxis, personal ownership, and licensing, noting current market leaders may not dominate long-term.

Multiple autonomous vehicle operators expanded testing and service areas this week, demonstrating resilience despite a weakening economy. However, California's SB 915 bill threatens to fragment AV regulation by allowing local governments to impose their own rules, while business-friendly states like Arizona, Texas, and Florida continue gaining ground.