Alphabet Inc.'s GOOGL Waymo picked up unexpected praise from Tesla Inc. TSLA bull Ross Gerber after a real-world Los Angeles ride, highlighting the self-driving unit's growing traction as it ramps up robotaxi testing and expansion across the U.S.<h2 id="2oydqiuuw">Ross Gerber Gives Waymo An ‘A'</h2>On Thursday, Gerber Kawasaki co-founder shared his experience on X, formerly Twitter, after a 42-minute Waymo ride through Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the Pacific Palisades.&#34;I give it an A,&#34; Gerber wrote, noting that the car &#34;drove confidently through 3 quite challenging challenges&#34; and impressed him with its clean interior.&#34;Not to mention the car is clean and doesn't smell like an Uber,&#34; he added, tagging Uber Technologies, Inc. UBER and $GOOG in his post.The endorsement drew attention because Gerber has long been a vocal supporter of Tesla, a company preparing its own robotaxi rollout.<h2 id="3e8lkfh6h">Waymo Expands Footprint With Airport, NYC Testing</h2>Earlier this month, Waymo announced it had secured approval to begin operations at San Jose airport, starting with tests using safety drivers before launching commercially later this year.The company also received its first permit in New York City on Aug. 22, authorizing tests in Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn. It will operate eight vehicles in the city through September, building on previous expansions in Austin, San Francisco and Los Angeles.<h2 id="q1h5tjps">10 Million Paid Rides And Counting</h2>Alphabet's self-driving division hit a major milestone in May, surpassing 10 million paid robotaxi rides across cities like Phoenix, Austin, San Francisco and Los Angeles.The company in April disclosed it completed more than 250,000 paid trips in a single week and announced a partnership with Toyota Motor Corp. TM to develop autonomous tech for personal vehicles.<h2 id="8g40gnmgs">Tesla, Uber Competition Heating Up</h2>Tesla launched its long-awaited Robotaxi app on Apple Inc.'s AAPL App Store, quickly outpacing Uber’s download record during its first 30 days.However, the app requires users to join a waitlist before accessing rides in San Jose.Alphabet Class A shares closed at $240.37 on Thursday, up 0.50%, while Class C shares gained 0.51% reaching $240.78. Tesla was up 6.04% to $368.81, while Uber rose 0.50% to $94.68.

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Alphabet's Waymo received praise from Tesla bull Ross Gerber after a successful 42-minute ride in Los Angeles, earning an 'A' for its performance. Waymo is expanding its operations, recently gaining approval for tests at San Jose airport and in New York City. The self-driving unit has surpassed 10 million paid rides and is competing with Tesla's new Robotaxi app. Alphabet's stock saw slight gains, while Tesla's shares rose significantly.

- Waymo, Alphabet Inc.'s self-driving unit, received positive feedback from Tesla bull Ross Gerber after a recent ride in Los Angeles, indicating its growing traction in robotaxi testing.  
- The company has expanded its operations, securing approvals for testing at San Jose airport and in New York City, while surpassing 10 million paid robotaxi rides.  
- As competition heats up with Tesla's new Robotaxi app, Alphabet's stock showed a slight increase, reflecting investor confidence in its autonomous technology advancements.

Google's Waymo Gets An 'A' From Tesla Bull Ross Gerber, Bonus Point: 'Doesn't Smell Like An Uber'