TSLA Stock Faces a Red Week as Ross Gerber Uncovers a ‘Secret’ Waymo Fleet and NHTSA Eyes the Cybercab

Tesla’s (TSLA) shares look set for a dip this week, and the market buzz isn’t just about the numbers. Investor‑turned‑analyst Ross Gerber has been posting pictures of a mysterious parking lot in Santa Monica packed with what appear to be hundreds of Waymo robotaxis, hinting that Alphabet’s autonomous‑driving arm might be gearing up for a big push.

Gerber, who runs Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management, shared the snaps on X with a caption that reads like a treasure‑hunt clue: “found a secret lot today snooping around Santa Monica – filled with new Waymos ready to deploy. Something crazy is about to happen…” The tone is playful, but the implication is serious – Waymo could be moving from a niche player to a mass‑market contender faster than anyone expected.

Waymo already operates more than 4,000 vehicles across 15 U.S. cities, handing out over half a million paid rides each week. Recent expansions into Las Vegas, Denver, San Diego and Tampa show a steady march toward its own million‑rides‑a‑week target by year‑end. In contrast, Tesla’s robotaxi rollout feels more tentative.

Earlier this month Tesla rolled out its Cybercab – a sleek, two‑seat vehicle that literally has no steering wheel, pedals or mirrors. It’s being tested in a few limited zones around Austin via the new Robotaxi app, and Elon Musk has touted it as the first car built from the ground up for unsupervised full self‑driving.

But the Cybercab’s minimalist design has landed it squarely in the crosshairs of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA gave Tesla until Sept. 30 to answer a 21‑question probe that probes everything from how the car meets federal safety standards without a special exemption, to whether passengers can control the vehicle via the touchscreen, and how the model deals with required turn signals, rear‑view visibility and stability‑control warnings.

Gerber didn’t shy away from the comparison. In his post he jabbed, “Waymo is moving into big‑time scale mode, while Tesla’s Cybercab wastes time because they didn’t apply for an exception for having no brake pedal.” It’s a sharp critique, especially when you remember that Gerber’s own portfolio still holds roughly 280,000 Tesla shares – about $118 million, or 3.1 % of his fund, as of the end of June.

Investors seem to be taking note. On Stocktwits, sentiment around TSLA slid from “bearish” to “extremely bearish” over the past week, and message volume spiked by 12 %. One trader lamented that a camera‑only system can’t handle heavy rain or dense fog, doubting the Cybercab could ever achieve true Level 5 autonomy. Another asked pointedly about the claimed 500‑mile range, suspecting real‑world numbers would be lower.

From a performance perspective, Tesla’s stock has already lagged its “Magnificent Seven” peers, down about 20 % year‑to‑date, making it the weakest link in that elite group. If the NHTSA questions turn into deeper regulatory hurdles, or if Waymo’s secret fleet translates into a rapid service expansion, the pressure on TSLA could intensify.

All said, the coming weeks will be a litmus test. Will Waymo’s hidden army translate into a market‑share surge that eclipses Tesla’s robotaxi ambitions? Or will Tesla’s Cybercab clear the regulator’s concerns and prove the camera‑only approach can scale? Traders, analysts and casual observers alike will be watching the headlines – and the streets – closely.