robotaxis

Definition

Automated, self-driving vehicles that operate as a commercial ride-hailing service without a human driver present.

Etymology

This is a portmanteau of the word 'robot,' derived from the Czech 'robota' meaning forced labor, and 'taxi,' which is short for 'taximeter cab,' originating from the Greek 'taxis' meaning arrangement or tax.

In the news

The article uses the term to describe Waymo's fleet of autonomous vehicles that are competing with human-driven rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, potentially causing labor market shifts.

Waymo is winning over riders while the fallout for human drivers stays fuzzy

Business Insider

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