Waymo exec hopeful Trump will boost autonomous driving

Industry Overview - The autonomous driving space is growing, with the US potentially leading globally in this sector [1][2] - The industry has matured compared to the previous presidential administration, with global competition involving US, Chinese, and German auto players [2] - Tech experts expect the Trump administration to set a national standard on autonomous driving standards, which could boost safety and US leadership in the field [1][3] Company Performance - Waymo, a Google-owned robotaxi venture, operates commercially in three US cities and plans to expand to two more US cities in 2025 [5] - The company currently provides more than 150,000 trips weekly, indicating significant operational scale [5] Competitive Landscape - Elon Musk, expected to play an influential role in the Trump White House, plans to launch a robotaxi venture by 2027, directly competing with Waymo [4] - Waymo's co-CEO welcomes competition, emphasizing that making roads safer is a mission too big for one company [5] Regulatory Environment - There is a potential risk of a "race to the bottom on safety" with a national standard, but the Trump administration has been "very forward-leaning" on autonomous driving [6] - A national framework for autonomous driving should require companies to demonstrate their safety record [7] Strategic Outlook - The incoming Trump administration's focus on autonomous driving could create a real opportunity for US leadership in safe, sustainable, and autonomous transportation [3] - Waymo's co-CEO sees the alignment of autonomous driving with the administration's goals as a positive development [3]