Waymo’s robotaxi expansion accelerates with 3 new cities

Waymo has announced an ambitious rollout of its robotaxi service in Detroit, Las Vegas, and San Diego, marking a significant step in the company's expansion strategy. This move reflects Waymo's transition from a developer of autonomous vehicle technology to a commercial enterprise ready to serve the public. During a recent appearance at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana emphasized the urgency of scaling operations, stating, "By the end of 2026, you should expect us to be offering 1 million trips per week." As of April, Waymo had already completed over 250,000 rides weekly, with the current figures likely higher, although the company has not disclosed exact numbers. Waymo's journey began with extensive testing in Silicon Valley before it launched its first commercial robotaxi service in Phoenix. Following that, services expanded to the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. In the past year alone, Waymo added Atlanta and Austin to its roster through a partnership with Uber. Looking ahead, the company has plans to extend its operations to several new markets in 2026, including Denver, Miami, Nashville, London, Seattle, and Washington DC. For the launch in the three new markets, Waymo is introducing a fleet of self-driving Jaguar I-Pace and Zeekr RT vehicles this week, although immediate public access will not be available. The initial rollout will involve human drivers operating the vehicles to map the streets of these cities. Over time, the human safety operators will be phased out as the autonomous technology proves its reliability, equipped with cameras, radar, lidar sensors, and advanced driving software. Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley remarked on the significance of Waymo's technology, stating that it offers a safe and reliable alternative for both residents and visitors navigating the city. She emphasized the importance of adopting this technology responsibly. Waymo is not new to these cities; the company previously deployed its autonomous vehicles in Detroit, Las Vegas, and San Diego, and maintains an engineering team in the Detroit area, well-prepared for the region's winter conditions. This rapid expansion is credited to the versatile nature of its self-driving system, which has positioned Waymo as a leader in the robotaxi industry. However, competitors like Zoox and Tesla are also vying for market share, with Zoox operating a free robotaxi service in Las Vegas and Tesla offering its own service in parts of Austin, albeit with human oversight still in place.