If robotaxis are going to scale, cities need a control layer that works at speed.
Waymo's MIT-backed study (13.8M trips, 86.3M miles, 2023-2025) reveals 44% deadheading—empty vehicle miles. The finding undercuts a core investment thesis: robotaxis don't reduce congestion as promised, forcing recalibration of $100B+ autonomous vehicle ROI.
Data shows Waymo's robotaxis are empty for almost half of the miles they drive.