Are self-driving car stocks a good investment?

Self-driving car stocks could offer investors massive long-term growth potential as the technology revolutionizes transport. However, these investments can be high-risk, high-reward, so it's important to evaluate your investing style and risk tolerance level before you put cash to work.

Are there ETFs that focus on self-driving cars?

Yes, several ETFs focus on self-driving cars, including the Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF (NASDAQ:DRIV), iShares Self-Driving EV and Tech ETF (NYSEMKT:IDRV), and ARK Autonomous Tech & Robotics ETF (NYSEMKT:ARKQ).

Do self-driving car stocks pay dividends?

Yes, some self-driving car stocks and ETFs do pay dividends. Many pure-play self-driving companies focus on growth and reinvest profits rather than paying them out, though you can find dividend-payers in established automakers (like GM and Ford) and tech giants involved in the space (like Nvidia and Alphabet)

What’s the difference between EV stocks and self-driving car stocks?

EV stocks focus on electric vehicle manufacturing and sales, while self-driving stocks center on the technology that enables autonomy, such as AI software, sensors (lidar/radar), and chips. However, many large automakers overlap in both categories.

Are there ETFs focused on self-driving car technology?

Yes, several ETFs specifically focus on the autonomous vehicle and self-driving ecosystem, including the Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF (NASDAQ:DRIV), the iShares Self-Driving EV and Tech ETF (NYSEMKT:IDRV), and the ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF (NYSEMKT:ARKQ).

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Self-driving cars are a massive technological movement investors will want to participate in.

By Rachel Warren – Updated Mar 18, 2026 at 4:58 PM EST | Fact-checked by Frank Bass

Key Points

Self-driving stocks offer exposure to AI, chips, and cloud infrastructure integral to vehicle autonomy.
Key players include tech giants and automakers with advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS).
Investing in diverse companies within this sector allows access to self-driving advancements.

Self-driving technology is moving from hype to real-world deployment. Advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS) are now common, and companies are still racing toward broader autonomy.

This trend reaches far beyond automakers. Self-driving systems depend on AI software, high-performance chips, sensors, and cloud infrastructure to process and learn from enormous volumes of driving data. That means investors can gain exposure to tech leaders, semiconductor firms, and legacy automakers developing next-generation driver-assistance systems.

Here are several top self-driving car stocks to consider.

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Ticker Information Table
Name and ticker	Market cap	Dividend yield	Industry
Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL)	$4.7 trillion	0.22%	Interactive Media and Services
	$4.7 trillion	0.22%	Interactive Media and Services
Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN)	$2.9 trillion	0.00%	Multiline Retail
	$1.6 trillion	0.00%	Automobiles
Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA)	$5.4 trillion	0.02%	Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment
Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM)	$213.4 billion	1.76%	Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment
Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU)	$825.5 billion	0.07%	Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment
General Motors (NYSE:GM)	$68.7 billion	0.83%	Automobiles
Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F)	$52.7 billion	4.54%	Automobiles

Data as of May 21, 2026. Showing 9 of 9 tickers.

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NASDAQ: GOOG

Alphabet

Today's Change

(-0.37%) $-1.43

Current Price

$383.47

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$4.7T

Day's Range

$379.48 - $388.68

52wk Range

$163.33 - $404.47

Volume

16.8M

Avg Vol

19.2M

Gross Margin

60.43%

Dividend Yield

0.22%

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NASDAQ: GOOGL

Alphabet

Today's Change

(-0.32%) $-1.25

Current Price

$387.66

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$4.7T

Day's Range

$383.02 - $392.50

52wk Range

$162.00 - $408.61

Volume

24.9M

Avg Vol

28.8M

Gross Margin

60.43%

Dividend Yield

0.22%

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Alphabet also owns Waymo, one of the most advanced autonomous driving efforts in the U.S. Waymo now provides over 400,000 paid robotaxi rides per week. Waymo recently expanded its autonomous vehicle testing and is expanding operations into a growing roster of new cities, including Denver, London, and Washington, D.C.

2. Amazon

Amazon is far more than an e-commerce giant. In fact, savvy investors know that AWS (Amazon Web Services), the public cloud computing pioneer, is what really makes Amazon a highly profitable tech titan. AWS has a self-driving car segment that helps automakers and other vehicle technology companies manage their autonomous-driving data.

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NASDAQ: AMZN

Amazon

Today's Change

(1.38%) $3.65

Current Price

$268.66

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$2.9T

Day's Range

$261.40 - $269.48

52wk Range

$196.00 - $278.56

Volume

1.7M

Avg Vol

45.7M

Gross Margin

50.60%

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In September 2025, Amazon's Zoox officially launched its fully driverless robotaxi service in Las Vegas. These robotaxis, which don't have a steering wheel or even pedals, offer rides to the public via the Zoox mobile app.

Zoox also launched in San Francisco's SoMa, Mission, and Design districts in November 2025 as part of its Zoox Explorers program. The company is testing in several other cities, including Austin, Miami, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and Seattle.

As of early 2026, Zoox has partnered with Uber (UBER -1.33%) to deploy its purpose-built, driverless robotaxis on the Uber app in Las Vegas this summer, with Los Angeles expansion planned for 2027. The company is actively seeking final federal safety exemptions to move from testing to commercial, paid operation.

3. Tesla

Tesla's The work to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles is undeniable. However, its work on full self-driving capabilities is somewhat controversial.

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NASDAQ: TSLA

Tesla

Today's Change

(0.19%) $0.78

Current Price

$418.04

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$1.6T

Day's Range

$412.91 - $426.90

52wk Range

$273.21 - $498.83

Volume

2.1M

Avg Vol

62.4M

Gross Margin

19.07%

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Every Tesla ships with Autopilot, an advanced driver-assist system (ADAS) that features adaptive cruise control and auto-steer, which keeps the car within its lane. The company's Full Self-Driving (FSD) upgrade package includes many features that still require a driver to remain alert and ready to take the wheel.

Tesla is devoting research to computer vision, which enables a computing system to see and make driving decisions using cameras. To aid in its development, Tesla is building supercomputers called Dojo to train its AI algorithms. The company has hinted it might allow other self-driving car developers to use Dojo as well.

Tesla launched an invitation-only self-driving taxi service in Austin in June 2025. The service operated with supervising Tesla employees in the passenger seat for safety, and it required users to book rides through a dedicated app within a specific geographical area.

In August 2025, Tesla received the necessary permits to run its ride-hailing service in Texas, another major step forward for the business. Future U.S. and international rollouts are planned for 2026 pending regulatory approvals.

Tesla is actively testing Model Ys without safety drivers in Austin, marking a major step towards fully autonomous operation as envisioned by CEO Elon Musk. A new FSD model is expected in early 2026, alongside the launch of the new Cybercab.

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4. Nvidia

Semiconductors are the basic building blocks of all computing systems, including self-driving car technology. Nvidia is leading the charge on this front with its unique take on chip design and software.

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NASDAQ: NVDA

Nvidia

Today's Change

(-1.78%) $-3.98

Current Price

$219.49

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$5.4T

Day's Range

$217.94 - $227.37

52wk Range

$129.16 - $236.54

Volume

6.5M

Avg Vol

170.8M

Gross Margin

71.07%

Dividend Yield

0.02%

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NASDAQ: QCOM

Qualcomm

Today's Change

(5.51%) $11.16

Current Price

$213.67

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$213B

Day's Range

$197.66 - $214.01

52wk Range

$121.99 - $247.90

Volume

1.3M

Avg Vol

17.6M

Gross Margin

54.80%

Dividend Yield

1.76%

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However, Qualcomm's mobility chip specialty is finding new life in the auto industry. The Snapdragon Digital Chassis is an entire platform powering vehicle connectivity, computing, and ADAS. Qualcomm also acquired the self-driving car software business Arriver, formerly part of auto supplier Veoneer, to help accelerate its development of a vehicle autonomy platform.

6. Micron Technology

Memory chips have been a key ingredient in vehicles for decades. However, autonomous cars will rely on digital memory like never before. Micron is a leader in this space and is reporting rapid growth since automakers need more memory chips to enable self-driving and ADAS car capabilities.

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NASDAQ: MU

Micron Technology

Today's Change

(3.90%) $28.55

Current Price

$760.54

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$825B

Day's Range

$732.26 - $764.90

52wk Range

$90.93 - $818.67

Volume

1.3M

Avg Vol

45.6M

Gross Margin

58.54%

Dividend Yield

0.07%

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In fact, Micron thinks self-driving cars will be its top growth driver in the next few years. In addition to vehicles, cloud computing -- used to train AI software and manage vehicle fleets -- is also propelling higher demand for Micron's memory chips.

As a manufacturer, Micron is a highly cyclical semiconductor company that has historically been prone to wild swings in sales and profits. However, there is massive expansion potential in the years ahead, thanks to self-driving technology.

7. General Motors

General Motors is a legacy automaker, one of the oldest. Its brands, including Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac, are hardly a growth business. However, back in 2016, GM acquired Cruise, a leader in self-driving car technology. GM was hoping to see its Cruise Origin driverless taxi become fully operational by 2023.

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NYSE: GM

General Motors

Today's Change

(1.41%) $1.07

Current Price

$77.21

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$69B

Day's Range

$75.00 - $77.37

52wk Range

$46.81 - $87.62

Volume

6.4M

Avg Vol

7.3M

Gross Margin

6.10%

Dividend Yield

0.83%

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That was short-lived, as the Cruise unit suspended operations in October 2023 after a series of incidents. It returned its vehicles to public roads in May 2024. However, in December 2024, GM stopped funding its Cruise AV unit entirely, citing issues in the competitive robotaxi market and the time and resources required to scale the business.

Although the Cruise unit is no longer operational, GM is focusing on developing driver-assist and autonomous systems for personal vehicles. These systems will also be designed to drive themselves in certain situations. GM's focus on funneling its resources into advanced driver assistance systems could play an important role in the future of driverless technology.

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8. Ford

Ford is another legacy automaker, but it, too, is making big bets on the future of transportation. Back in 2017, it pledged $1 billion in investment funding over a five-year stretch into start-up Argo AI (in which Volkswagen (VWAGY +0.86%) is also a top investor). Ford had been partnering with Argo to launch robotaxi and driverless delivery services for companies like Walmart (NYSE:WMT) in select cities.

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NYSE: F

Ford Motor Company

Today's Change

(3.40%) $0.45

Current Price

$13.67

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$53B

Day's Range

$13.14 - $13.80

52wk Range

$9.88 - $14.94

Volume

72.5M

Avg Vol

56.2M

Gross Margin

7.81%

Dividend Yield

4.54%

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Investing in self-driving car stocks FAQ

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About the Author

Rachel Warren is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, information technology, and consumer goods. Prior to The Motley Fool, Rachel was a paralegal and legal administrator. She holds a bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies from Liberty University School of Law.

TMFRachelW

Rachel Warren has positions in Alphabet and Amazon. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Micron Technology, Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Tesla. The Motley Fool recommends General Motors and Volkswagen Ag. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Best Self-Driving Car Stocks to Buy in 2026: Are They Right for Your Portfolio?

Self-driving cars are a massive technological movement investors will want to participate in.

Key Points

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

2. Amazon

Key Data Points

3. Tesla

Key Data Points

4. Nvidia

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

6. Micron Technology

Key Data Points

7. General Motors

Key Data Points

8. Ford

Key Data Points

Related investing topics

The Largest EV Companies in 2025

Consumer and Industry Outlooks on Electric Vehicles

3 Best Self-Driving Car ETFs to Buy in 2026

Automobile Trade Statistics: Imports, Exports, and American Content

Investing in self-driving car stocks FAQ

Are self-driving car stocks a good investment?

Are self-driving car stocks a good investment?

Are there ETFs that focus on self-driving cars?

Are there ETFs that focus on self-driving cars?

Do self-driving car stocks pay dividends?

Do self-driving car stocks pay dividends?

What’s the difference between EV stocks and self-driving car stocks?

What’s the difference between EV stocks and self-driving car stocks?

Are there ETFs focused on self-driving car technology?

Are there ETFs focused on self-driving car technology?

About the Author

Read Next

Stocks Mentioned

Premium Investing Services

Investing in self-driving car stocks FAQ

Are self-driving car stocks a good investment?

Are self-driving car stocks a good investment?

Are there ETFs that focus on self-driving cars?

Are there ETFs that focus on self-driving cars?

Do self-driving car stocks pay dividends?

Do self-driving car stocks pay dividends?

What’s the difference between EV stocks and self-driving car stocks?

What’s the difference between EV stocks and self-driving car stocks?

Are there ETFs focused on self-driving car technology?

Are there ETFs focused on self-driving car technology?

The Largest EV Companies in 2025

Consumer and Industry Outlooks on Electric Vehicles

3 Best Self-Driving Car ETFs to Buy in 2026

Automobile Trade Statistics: Imports, Exports, and American Content

Key Data Points

Top self-driving car stocks to consider

1. Alphabet

2. Amazon

4. Nvidia

6. Micron Technology

7. General Motors

Future outlook for self-driving cars

Should you invest?

Related investing topics

FAQ

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

Pros and cons of investing in self-driving car stocks

What to consider before investing in self-driving car stocks

How to invest in self-driving car stocks

3. Tesla

8. Ford

5. Qualcomm