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Investor Tiger Global Claims Major Ride Milestone for Waymo

2025-12-09

The BareStory

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.

Left Perspective

  • Waymo is experiencing a significant surge in its ride-hailing service.
  • The company is a clear leader in the autonomous vehicle space.
  • Waymo is successfully expanding its operational footprint and capabilities.

Right Perspective

  • The milestone claim comes from a financially interested party, not Waymo.
  • Waymo has not officially confirmed the investor's reported number.
  • The basis for the investor's estimate is not specified in detail.

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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