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 enabling autonomy, like AI software, sensors (lidar/radar), and chips. However, many large automakers overlap in both categories.

Best Self-Driving Car Stocks of 2026: Are They Right for You?

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

By Rachel Warren – Updated Feb 6, 2026 at 5:00 PM EST | Fact-checked by Frank Bass

Key Points

Self-driving cars influence various economic sectors, opening diverse investment avenues in tech and auto industries.
Alphabet and Amazon lead in autonomous driving, with significant investments in AI and cloud services for vehicle data management.
Invest in companies like Tesla and Nvidia that focus on developing core autonomous technologies such as AI software and hardware.

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 get exposure through tech leaders, semiconductor firms, and legacy automakers building next-generation driver assistance.

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)	$3.7 trillion	0.28%	Interactive Media and Services
Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG)	$3.6 trillion	0.28%	Interactive Media and Services
Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN)	$2.2 trillion	0.00%	Multiline Retail
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA)	$1.5 trillion	0.00%	Automobiles
Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA)	$4.4 trillion	0.02%	Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment
Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM)	$138.5 billion	2.74%	Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment
Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU)	$479.6 billion	0.11%	Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment
General Motors (NYSE:GM)	$65.4 billion	0.87%	Automobiles
Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F)	$46.6 billion	5.14%	Automobiles

Data as of Mar 15, 2026. Showing 9 of 9 tickers.

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NASDAQ: GOOG

Alphabet

Today's Change

(-0.56%) $-1.69

Current Price

$301.52

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$3.6T

Day's Range

$299.80 - $307.25

52wk Range

$142.66 - $350.15

Volume

700K

Avg Vol

21M

Gross Margin

59.68%

Dividend Yield

0.28%

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NASDAQ: GOOGL

Alphabet

Today's Change

(-0.42%) $-1.27

Current Price

$302.28

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$3.7T

Day's Range

$300.44 - $307.69

52wk Range

$140.53 - $349.00

Volume

24M

Avg Vol

33M

Gross Margin

59.68%

Dividend Yield

0.28%

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Alphabet also owns Waymo, one of the most advanced autonomous driving efforts in the U.S. By late 2025, Waymo had more than 2,000 driverless cars in its U.S. fleet that have driven tens of millions of miles since 2019. Waymo recently expanded its autonomous vehicle testing and operations into four new cities: Baltimore, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Philadelphia.

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 technologists manage their autonomous driving data.

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NASDAQ: AMZN

Amazon

Today's Change

(-0.89%) $-1.86

Current Price

$207.67

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$2.2T

Day's Range

$206.22 - $210.56

52wk Range

$161.38 - $258.60

Volume

36M

Avg Vol

49M

Gross Margin

50.29%

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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, and Zoox aims to remove the waitlist entirely and begin charging for rides in 2026.

3. Tesla

Tesla's work to accelerate the electric vehicle movement is undeniable. However, its work on full self-driving capabilities is a bit more controversial.

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NASDAQ: TSLA

Tesla

Today's Change

(-0.88%) $-3.47

Current Price

$391.54

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$1.5T

Day's Range

$389.96 - $400.19

52wk Range

$214.25 - $498.83

Volume

3.5M

Avg Vol

65M

Gross Margin

18.03%

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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 comes with a lot more features that still require a driver to be alert and ready to take the wheel.

Tesla's devoting research to computer vision, which gives a computing system the ability 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

(-1.56%) $-2.87

Current Price

$180.28

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$4.4T

Day's Range

$179.94 - $186.10

52wk Range

$86.62 - $212.19

Volume

Avg Vol

175M

Gross Margin

71.07%

Dividend Yield

0.02%

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NASDAQ: QCOM

Qualcomm

Today's Change

(-1.01%) $-1.33

Current Price

$129.82

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$139B

Day's Range

$129.22 - $133.41

52wk Range

$120.80 - $205.95

Volume

7.8M

Avg Vol

9.7M

Gross Margin

55.10%

Dividend Yield

2.74%

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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

(5.08%) $20.61

Current Price

$425.96

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$480B

Day's Range

$413.00 - $429.28

52wk Range

$61.54 - $455.50

Volume

1.6M

Avg Vol

35M

Gross Margin

45.53%

Dividend Yield

0.11%

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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 historically 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 and one of the oldest around. 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

(-1.44%) $-1.06

Current Price

$72.39

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$65B

Day's Range

$72.09 - $73.94

52wk Range

$41.60 - $87.62

Volume

7.2M

Avg Vol

8.6M

Gross Margin

6.27%

Dividend Yield

0.87%

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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, as well as 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 by 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 -3.29%) 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

(-3.07%) $-0.37

Current Price

$11.67

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$47B

Day's Range

$11.65 - $12.13

52wk Range

$8.44 - $14.79

Volume

49M

Avg Vol

63M

Gross Margin

6.52%

Dividend Yield

5.14%

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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.

Pros and cons of investing in self-driving car stocks

Pros:

The self-driving car market is projected to expand significantly as technology matures and adoption increases.

Early investors could see substantial returns if the market projections are realized and their chosen companies capture significant market share.

Companies at the forefront of this industry are driving major technological advancements in areas like artificial intelligence, sensor technology, and software development.

This innovation can lead to new revenue streams and applications beyond just consumer cars, such as logistics, robotics, and smart city infrastructure.

Major players in the sector are not just car manufacturers; they include tech giants and sensor companies, so investors can target different parts of the AV value chain, from software to hardware.

Cons:

Uncertain timelines for widespread approval and potential legal liabilities in the event of accidents pose significant risks and could slow down deployment.

The market is highly competitive, with established automakers, tech giants, and specialized start-ups all vying for dominance as hopeful long-term winners.

The R&D costs are enormous, and many companies are still operating at a loss in this segment because of the significant capital investments required.

Achieving Level 4 or Level 5 full autonomy is a massive technical challenge, and ensuring systems are safe and reliable in all weather and traffic conditions is an ongoing struggle.

Any high-profile accidents could severely damage public trust and set back the entire industry.

How to invest in self-driving car stocks

Open your brokerage app: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments.

Search for the self-driving car stock: Enter the ticker or company name into the search bar to bring up the stock's trading page.

Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.

Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.

Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.

Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly

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?

About the Author

Stocks Mentioned

Our Guides

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?

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

3. Tesla

4. Nvidia

6. Micron Technology

7. General Motors

Pros and cons of investing in self-driving car stocks

How to invest in self-driving car stocks

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

8. Ford

Key Data Points

5. Qualcomm