Economy

Investor Tiger Global Claims Major Ride Milestone for Waymo

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Dec 9, 2025

THE BARE STORY

Investment firm Tiger Global stated in a letter to investors that autonomous vehicle company Waymo has surpassed 450,000 weekly paid rides. The figure was disclosed as the firm announced the launch of its new venture capital fund. Waymo, which is owned by Alphabet, declined to comment on the reported milestone.

In its letter, Tiger Global described Waymo as the "clear leader" in autonomous driving and claimed its product is ten times safer than human drivers. The investment firm, which holds Waymo as one of its largest positions, said its ride estimate was based on publicly available data. The reported 450,000 weekly ride figure is nearly double the 250,000 weekly rides the company reported in April.

On Monday, Tiger Global announced it is targeting a $2.2 billion raise for its new fund, Private Investment Partners 17, according to a person familiar with the firm’s strategy. In investor communications, the firm noted a shift to a more disciplined investment approach and expressed concern about elevated valuations in artificial intelligence. Waymo is one of the firm's largest holdings, and its performance has reportedly helped Tiger Global's funds rebound.

Throughout the year, Waymo has announced expansions including the start of paid driverless rides on freeways in three cities and the launch of operations in several new cities. In July, Waymo said it had reached 100 million fully autonomous miles. For comparison, Tesla executives stated on the company's latest earnings call that its fleet had driven a quarter of a million miles in Austin and over one million miles in the Bay Area, where its vehicles operate with human drivers or safety supervisors.

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• The milestone claim comes from a financially interested party, not Waymo. The 450,000 weekly ride figure was disclosed by Tiger Global, one of Waymo's largest investors, in a letter to its own investors. The announcement coincided with the firm's launch of a new $2.2 billion fund, and the article notes that Waymo's performance has helped Tiger Global's funds rebound.

• Waymo has not officially confirmed the investor's reported number. When approached for comment on the milestone reported by Tiger Global, Waymo declined to do so. This lack of official confirmation from the company itself leaves the 450,000 weekly ride figure unverified by the operator.

• The basis for the investor's estimate is not specified in detail. Tiger Global stated that its ride estimate was derived from "publicly available data." However, the article does not elaborate on what that data is or how it was analyzed to arrive at a figure that is nearly double the number reported just months earlier.

How it may affect me

As a U.S. reader:

• Autonomous ride-hailing services may become more available in certain cities, as Waymo is expanding its operations and has begun offering paid freeway rides.

• The true pace of autonomous vehicle adoption remains unclear, as the reported growth figures are unconfirmed by the operator and come from an interested investor.

• The performance of autonomous vehicle companies can affect investment funds, impacting individuals who have investments in the technology sector.

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