Autonomy Core 15

robotaxis · hosts · vans · freight

These 17 platforms show where autonomous vehicle hardware is heading. The purpose-built robotaxi, with no steering wheel, is replacing the converted car.

The Autonomy Core 15 platforms in three groups. Purpose-built robotaxis: Tesla Cybercab, Zoox (Amazon), Baidu Apollo RT6 and the Zeekr-built Waymo Ojai. Production EVs used as robotaxi hosts: Jaguar I-Pace (Waymo), Hyundai Ioniq 5 (Motional and Waymo), Tesla Model Y (Tesla Robotaxi), Lucid Gravity (Nuro and Uber), Pony.ai Gen-7 and WeRide GXR. Vans, delivery and freight: VW ID. Buzz AD (MOIA), Neolix and Zelos delivery vans, Tesla Semi, Einride's cab-less truck, the Westwell Q-Truck, and the Aurora and Torc driverless systems on diesel tractors. Colors mark US and European platforms, Chinese platforms and the cross-border Waymo Ojai. PURPOSE-BUILT ROBOTAXIS Cybercab Tesla Zoox Amazon Apollo RT6 Baidu Waymo Ojai Zeekr-built PRODUCTION EVS AS ROBOTAXI HOSTS I-Pace Waymo Ioniq 5 Motional, Waymo Model Y Tesla Robotaxi Gravity Lucid, Nuro, Uber Gen-7 Pony.ai GXR WeRide VANS, DELIVERY AND FREIGHT ID. Buzz AD VW, MOIA Delivery vans Neolix, Zelos Semi Tesla Einride cab-less truck Q-Truck Westwell Aurora diesel tractor Torc diesel tractor Blue: US and Europe. Red: China. Gray: cross-border build.
Platforms
17
Purpose-built
4
Chinese platforms
5
Hub
Autonomy

Finding

Robotaxi hardware is splitting into two paths: cheap purpose-built vehicles designed around the fleet, and converted production EVs that let operators scale now

Tesla began Cybercab production at Giga Texas in 2026, Zoox runs a public service in Las Vegas under an NHTSA exemption for vehicles without manual controls, and Baidu built the Apollo RT6 to cost about a quarter of a converted car's autonomy hardware bill. Waymo still runs mostly Jaguar I-Pace conversions while it brings up the Zeekr-built Ojai and Hyundai Ioniq 5 on its sixth-generation driver.

Purpose-built vehicles remove the cost of a driver interface and are designed for cleaning, sensor service and depot handling; production hosts arrive faster and with crash certification already done. China supplies both paths: Baidu, Pony.ai and WeRide design robotaxis with Chinese automakers (BAIC, GAC, Geely, Toyota's Chinese joint ventures), and Neolix and Zelos run thousands of low-speed autonomous delivery vans in Chinese cities. In freight, electric autonomy is still small: Einride runs cab-less electric trucks on private and public roads, and Westwell's Q-Truck moves containers in ports. The leading US driverless highway trucks run on diesel tractors. Aurora (on PACCAR and Volvo trucks) and Torc (on the Freightliner Cascadia) are in the set because they define the autonomous freight platform that electric trucks will inherit; Kodiak runs diesel trucks the same way in the Permian Basin. Cybercab is built at Giga Texas; AustinIO tracks Texas robotaxi deployments.

Core 15

The Core 15 list

Inclusion does not imply driverless operation everywhere; most platforms run Level 4 only inside mapped service areas.

Autonomy Core 15
PlatformCategoryOperator or developerStatus (late 2026)Why it matters
Tesla CybercabPurpose-built robotaxiTeslaProduction started at Giga Texas; slow rampTwo seats, no wheel or pedals, inductive charging planned
ZooxPurpose-built robotaxiZoox (Amazon)Public service in Las Vegas; San FranciscoBidirectional, carriage seating; NHTSA exemption
Baidu Apollo RT6Purpose-built robotaxiBaidu Apollo GoIn service in Wuhan and other Chinese citiesBuilt for low cost at volume; detachable steering wheel
Waymo Ojai (Zeekr)Purpose-built robotaxiWaymo, built by ZeekrEntering service on sixth-generation driverWaymo's first vehicle designed as a robotaxi
Jaguar I-PaceProduction EV hostWaymoBulk of the Waymo fleetProved driverless service at scale
Hyundai Ioniq 5Production EV hostMotional; WaymoMotional relaunch; Waymo integration800 V E-GMP platform; built in Georgia
Tesla Model YProduction EV hostTesla RobotaxiService in Austin and other citiesCamera-only stack on a mass-market car
Lucid GravityProduction EV hostNuro, Lucid, UberTesting in the Bay Area; launch plannedPremium robotaxi with Nvidia compute
Pony.ai Gen-7Production EV hostPony.ai with BAIC, GAC, ToyotaMass production; Chinese tier-one citiesLarge cut in autonomy kit cost versus prior generation
WeRide GXRProduction EV hostWeRideChina, Abu Dhabi and other Gulf citiesChinese robotaxi exported to the Middle East
VW ID. Buzz ADAutonomous vanVolkswagen MOIA, Mobileye DriveHamburg service; US launches with UberEuropean automaker's driverless van program
Neolix and Zelos vansAutonomous delivery vanNeolix; Zelos (Jiushi)Thousands in Chinese citiesLargest L4 commercial fleets by unit count
Tesla SemiElectric freightTeslaVolume production starting in NevadaElectric Class 8 base for future autonomy
Einride autonomous truckElectric freightEinrideOperating at shipper sites in Sweden and the USCab-less electric truck with remote operators
Westwell Q-TruckElectric freightWestwellContainer moves in Chinese and overseas portsElectric, cab-less port tractor
Aurora DriverAutonomous freight (diesel tractor)Aurora on PACCAR and Volvo trucksDriverless freight on Texas lanes since May 2025First driverless Class 8 service on US public highways
TorcAutonomous freight (diesel tractor)Torc Robotics (Daimler Truck) on Freightliner CascadiaDriverless launch targeted for 2027; testing in TexasBuilt into a factory truck platform by the largest US Class 8 maker

Sources

Sources and scope

Scope
Autonomy Core 15
Sources
Tesla; Zoox and NHTSA; Baidu; Waymo; Motional; Nuro, Lucid and Uber (2025-26); Pony.ai and WeRide filings; MOIA; Einride; Westwell
Updated
October 2026