Waymo expands robotaxi service to four new US cities

On Tuesday, Alphabet-owned autonomous vehicle company Waymo announced it is opening its robotaxi services to the public in four new US cities:

• Dallas
• Houston
• San Antonio
• Orlando

This expansion brings the total number of US cities where Waymo is operating to 10. The rollout will begin with select riders who receive invitations on Tuesday, with new riders added on a rolling basis before opening to the general public. This marks a rapid acceleration from last February, when Waymo was operating commercial services in Phoenix, parts of Los Angeles, and San Francisco, providing more than 200,000 rides every week. Over the past 12 months, the company expanded its service area to San Jose, launched partnerships in Atlanta and Austin, and opened service to the public in Miami last month.

To support this growth, Waymo is leveraging a $16 billion funding round led by Dragoneer Investment Group, DST Global, and Sequoia Capital, which values the company at $126 billion. The company currently operates a fleet of about 3,000 robotaxis, which is expected to grow as operations scale up in the new cities. Waymo also employs about 70 remote assistance workers to monitor the vehicles and respond to tricky scenarios. At its last update, Waymo was providing more than 400,000 rides per week, though the actual number is likely higher. The company is also planning to launch robotaxi services in several more cities this year, including Denver, London, and Washington, D.C. According to Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana, the company is laying the groundwork for robotaxi service in more than 20 cities. “Waymo is serving more riders than ever, as we are on track to serve over one million rides per week by the end of this year,” Mawakana said.

This expansion comes despite increased scrutiny and investigations by safety regulators. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the US auto safety regulator, opened an investigation after a Waymo robotaxi struck a child at 6 miles per hour near a school in Santa Monica last month. Additionally, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which investigates transportation accidents, is examining how Waymo robotaxis behave around school buses.

Why it matters

Waymo’s aggressive expansion demonstrates the company’s push for scale and commercial viability, even as it navigates significant regulatory headwinds and safety concerns that define the current robotaxi landscape.