01 / Field guide
Who does the work when a robotaxi has no driver?
Driverless rides still need dispatch, charging, cleaning, remote assistance, and recovery. Those operations decide whether robotaxis can scale.
Read the storyIndependent field notes on autonomous mobility
The car drives itself. The work doesn't.
Paid rides, fleet operations, remote help, labor, permits, and the economics that decide whether autonomous mobility can scale.
Beyond the demo
Autonomy has a back office.
Someone still keeps the fleet moving. We follow that work, and what it costs.
Meet the hidden crew
Start here / 02 field guides
The essential reading.
02 / Field guide
Gig platforms after Prop 22: unions, robotaxis, and the earnings grind
Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash still run on contractor labor under Prop 22-era rules. Unions, EV subsidies, and robotaxis are three different answers to the same cost problem.
Read the storyLatest writing
From the field.
- 01
Robotaxis: what actually ships (and what still needs a person)
Waymo operates driverless rides across multiple cities. California permits still put Tesla in a different category. The work around each ride matters.
- 02
Waymo pays DoorDash drivers $11 to close robotaxi doors
An open door stops a Waymo robotaxi. In Atlanta, DoorDash drivers are paid about $11 to close it and return the car to service.
- 03
Lyft blames Winter Storm Fern for weak Q1 guidance as stock tumbles 17%
Lyft's weak first-quarter forecast blamed winter weather disruptions, overshadowing a $1 billion buyback program and sending shares down 17% in the biggest drop since February 2025
- 04
Uber's Q4 earnings beat on revenue and cash flow, stock drops 7% anyway because Wall Street wanted perfect margins
Uber reported 22% growth in bookings and record cash flow in Q4 2025, but missed EPS estimates by 9 cents due to equity investment write-downs, sending shares down 7% as investors repriced margin expectations
- 05
Tesla started Cybercab production; the ride business is still the test
Tesla's April 2026 Cybercab production target became an early production milestone. Public fleet deployment and operating cost remain separate, unproven steps.
- 06
DoorDash Finally Posted Profit—Investors Dumped the Stock Anyway
DoorDash beat Q3 revenue and showed continued profitability. The stock dropped 17%—worst day ever. CEO Tony Xu's plan to spend 'several hundred million dollars' in 2026 triggered the selloff. Classic conflict: investors want cash back, DoorDash wants growth.
- 07
Lyft Missed Earnings by 60% and the Stock Went Up
Lyft missed Q3 EPS by 60% but the stock jumped 7%. Wall Street cared about one thing: $1.03 billion in free cash flow for the first time ever. That's the metric that actually matters.
- 08
Q3 2025 Earnings: Uber Misses, DoorDash Profits But Tanks, Lyft Surprises
Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash all reported Q3 earnings November 4-5. Uber missed estimates for the first time in quarters. DoorDash posted its first profit as a public company but stock dropped 17%. Lyft hit $1 billion free cash flow but missed EPS. Three companies, three completely different stories.
- 09
Waymo's 2025 expansion promises met three different launch tests
Waymo named Detroit, Las Vegas, and San Diego in 2025. By September 2026, public rides had begun in two; Detroit still needed a public launch.
- 10
Zoox's Hayward factory has capacity; its fleet still needs a ramp
Zoox designed its Hayward line for eventual volume, but factory capacity is not output. The harder measure is how many vehicles enter reliable public service.