Autonomous vehicles are gradually making their way into our world.
less science fiction and more practical world scenarios
as companies like
Waymo
, the autonomous division of Google’s parent company, Alphabet, plans to extend its operations into additional cities—and even countries.
Currently, Waymo offers completely autonomous rides to the general public in cities like Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin, Texas, with these services being conducted using entirely electric vehicles.
Jaguar I-Pace
. It’s expanding its partnership with Uber by launching in
Atlanta
via the ride share app later this year, and plans to begin offering rides in Washington, DC, and Miami starting in 2026. In April, Waymo said it’ll begin driving its vehicles on Tokyo’s streets, making this the company’s
first international location
.
In addition to these launches, Waymo announced in January that it would start testing with manually driven vehicles as well.
10 new cities
This year, beginning with events in Las Vegas and San Diego. Last week, Waymo announced it
came to an initial accord with Toyota
To investigate a partnership aimed at advancing autonomous vehicle technology, which might eventually be incorporated into privately owned cars as well.
Waymo’s growth also encompasses its production sites. On Monday, the firm announced it is
opening a new
, a 239,000-square-foot facility for manufacturing self-driving cars located in the Phoenix area. They aim to increase their current fleet of 1,500 fully autonomous Jaguar I-Pace vehicles by adding another 2,000 units. It’s worth mentioning that Waymo announced they have obtained their ”
final delivery from Jaguar
earlier this year, as it looks ahead to future versions of its autonomous ride services, Waymo mentioned that the “flexible layout” of the facility will enable them to incorporate their forthcoming advancements.
sixth-generation
incorporating self-driving technology into new vehicles, beginning with the fully electric model
Zeekr RT
.
In October, Waymo also announced it’s
partnering with Hyundai
to introduce the subsequent generation of its technology
Ioniq 5
In the coming years, passengers will have the ability to call up these fully electric, self-driving SUVs through the Waymo One application.
Waymo claims it offers over 250,000 paid journeys weekly. Personally, I have called for multiple rides in San Francisco, and although it might appear unsettling initially—particularly when you notice the steering wheel moving autonomously—I adapted swiftly, and it soon seemed just like a regular trip.
This doesn’t mean there hasn’t been resistance as Waymo expands into additional cities. The firm’s cars have been part of several notable crashes, including
one with a bicyclist
In San Francisco, and another incident involving a towed pickup truck in Phoenix.
retrieved and revised its software
to address the issue.)
In a
research paper
In May, Waymo reported that their autonomous Waymo Driver technology outperformed human drivers across nearly 56.7 million miles of travel, experiencing an impressive 85% fewer accidents resulting in potential severe or critical injuries when compared to humans behind the wheel. Additionally, they noted substantially reduced crash rates involving pedestrians (a decrease of 92%), bicyclists (an 82% reduction), and motorcycle riders (also down by 82%). Furthermore, the corporation made this information public.
data hub
last year, detailing efforts to improve road safety using its technology.
As Waymo broadens and advances its autonomous driving technology, here’s how and where you can hail a robo-taxi if you find yourself in one of the select cities where their vehicle fleet is operational.
Summoning a ride in Phoenix
Phoenix was the
first city
To make completely autonomous Waymo rides available to the general public in 2020, one must download the app.
Waymo One
app on
iOS
or
Android
The service runs around the clock, every single day of the year.
You can also
use the Uber app
To call upon one of Waymo’s vehicles in Phoenix, when you book an UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric trip, you can opt to accept aWaymo ride if selected for you.
In addition to
hailing a ride
, you might also possess your
An Uber Eats order brought to you via a self-driving vehicle.
When ordering within the Phoenix region, you could receive a message stating “your package might be delivered by autonomous vehicles.” Upon the arrival of the Waymo vehicle, bring your smartphone along to unlock the trunk and retrieve your shipment. If preferred, you can choose to avoid this option at checkout for a person-driven delivery instead.
Summoning a ride in San Francisco
After Phoenix took action, San Francisco also proceeded with the rollout.
completely self-driving trips by the end of 2022
. It
scrapped the waiting list
in June so now anyone can download the Waymo One app to ride anytime. The service also operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There’s currently no Uber partnership in San Francisco.
In August, Waymo
expanded its ride-hailing service
into the San Francisco Peninsula, adding 10 square miles and venturing into Daly City, Broadmoor and Colma. And in March, it expanded again so that select Waymo One riders who live in Mountain View, Los Altos, Palo Alto and parts of Sunnyvale have the option to hail a robotaxi there, too. The company says it plans to expand to more riders there over time.
Summoning a ride in Los Angeles
In November, Waymo eliminated its waitlist for
Los Angeles
and began
welcoming all public riders
via the Waymo One app. Now any interested passengers can hop in the robotaxis 24/7 and ride across nearly 90 square miles of LA county, including Santa Monica, Beverly Hills,
Inglewood
and Downtown Los Angeles — with intentions to broaden its reach to additional regions shortly.
Summoning a ride in Austin
In Austin, the sole method to summon a Waymo ride is
through Uber
— There isn’t a dedicated Waymo One app for this purpose. When you request an UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric, you might get paired with a Waymo vehicle without additional charges. Should you prefer not to experience a driverless trip, you will have the choice to opt for a regular ride instead. Conversely, if you wish to increase your likelihood of riding in a self-driving car, consider going to
Account
>
Settings
>
Autonomous vehicles,
after that click the switch next to it
Get more Waymo rides
.
Open the door, lift up the trunk, and begin your journey through the Uber application. As usual, you will have to assess your trip afterward — however, tipping will not be required.
In case of any problems, riders can get assistance around the clock through the Uber app or directly within the Waymo vehicle, where screens located at the front and rear allow for easy contact with customer support.
Under the Uber partnership, Uber will handle duties such as car cleanliness and maintenance, whereas “Waymo will remain in charge of the testing and management of the Waymo Driver, along with providing roadside assistance and specific rider support services,” according to both firms. This cooperation aims to broaden access to self-driving vehicles, eliminating the necessity for riders to use a different application to hail an autonomous taxi.
Currently, Waymo serves an area spanning 37 square miles within the city, with intentions to expand further in the future.
Summoning a ride in Atlanta
Similar to what’s happening in Austin, Uber plans to enable passengers in Atlanta to summon a Waymo autonomous taxi shortly. The rollout is set for this summer; however, those eager to try it out can
join a waitlist
To boost their likelihood of getting paired with a Waymo vehicle when that choice opens up.
To sign up for the Atlanta mailing list, ensure your Uber app is updated, and proceed from there.
Account
>
Settings
and find
Autonomous vehicles
under the
Ride
Preferences
menu. Then click
Join interest list
.
Subscribers who sign up for the interest list might get the opportunity to experience riding with Waymo prior to its public release. Those selected will receive notifications through the app as well as via email.
The service will roll out over an area covering 65 square miles in Atlanta, with intentions for further expansion as stated by Uber. The cost of a Waymo ride will match what you’d pay for a regular UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric journey, and prices will be clearly displayed beforehand within the app. Unlocking the car and beginning your trip can both be done through the Uber application, and round-the-clock assistance will be available either via the app itself or directly from inside the vehicle.
Launching Soon: Washington, DC, Miami, and Tokyo
Waymo intends to commence providing rides via its Waymo One app in Washington, D.C., by 2026.
went back to the country’s capital
In January, they aimed to trial their self-driving technology. By late March, they announced plans to introduce additional vehicles to the city with intentions of expanding their services over the course of the year.
blog post
, Waymo said it’ll “continue to work closely with policymakers to formalize the regulations needed to operate without a human behind the wheel in the District.”
You’ll also have to wait until 2026 to ride a Waymo in Miami. The company has been
conducting weather testing
ahead of that final release, mentioning in a
blog post
Our past journeys to Florida during difficult rain showers have significantly contributed to improving our self-driving technology.
Waymo plans to team up with Moove, a financial technology firm specializing in vehicle financing, initially in Phoenix. There, Moove will oversee the management of the autonomous taxi fleet’s operations, facilities, and charging infrastructure. The collaboration will extend from Phoenix to Miami, as stated by the company: “Waymo will keep providing services via the Waymo One app and maintain responsibility for validating and operating the Waymo Driver,” they noted.
blog post
.
Waymo’s
expansion into Tokyo
The initiative, announced in December, is being conducted alongside Japanese taxi provider Nihon Kotsu and ride-hailing application Go. In April, the autonomous vehicle firm revealed that they have now reached a stage where they can operate internationally.
Waymo states that Nihon Kotsu-trained drivers will operate its vehicles manually through seven areas of Tokyo, namely Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa, and Kōtō. This initiative aims to enable engineers to evaluate and refine Waymo’s self-driving technology for specific regional road conditions and traffic patterns.
“Here in Tokyo, we adhere to the same unwavering principles that steer our operations back home in the U.S.—a strong commitment to safety, an earnest effort to earn trust within the neighborhoods we serve, and cooperation with local authorities and community organizations,” stated Nicole Gavel, who leads business development and strategic partnerships at Waymo.
The timing for riders to enjoy a self-driven trip with Waymo in Tokyo remains uncertain.
The road ahead: Future vehicles
In August, Waymo introduced the
sixth generation
Of its self-driving technology, which aims to broaden the abilities of its autonomous vehicle network. More advanced sensors are intended to assist the vehicles in navigating through harsh weather conditions more effectively, according to Waymo. This sixth-generation Driver system will be integrated into their fully electric fleet.
Zeekr vehicle
, boasting a flat floor, increased head- and legroom, adjustable seating, and a removable steering column with pedals. Although the enhanced technology is currently under testing, the firm assures it will be accessible for drivers shortly.
In October, Waymo additionally made an announcement about
partnership with Hyundai
To incorporate its sixth-generation driver system into the fully electric Ioniq 5 SUV, as mentioned in a blog post, this vehicle “will eventually join the Waymo One fleet.” Both firms also stated that they intend “to manufacture a substantial number of Ioniq 5 models fitted with Waymo’s technology for several years to accommodate the expanding scope of Waymo One.” These vehicles will begin testing by late 2025 and roll out further in subsequent years.
At present, regular commuters aren’t able to use a Waymo vehicle for highway travel; however, this could be changing shortly. The firm is currently conducting tests of completely driverless journeys on these roads.
freeways in Phoenix
as observed in an
exclusive video
shared with CNET in May. It’s also now making fully autonomous freeway rides available to Waymo employees
in Los Angeles
.
Waymo is also expanding its autonomous driving technology to include trucks, though they stated last year that it’s
scaling back those efforts
For now, the emphasis is on ride-hailing through Waymo One. The company stated, “We continue to invest in enhancing the abilities of the Waymo Driver, particularly for freeway travel, which will directly apply to our trucking initiatives and aid in their progress.”
This was initially published on Roadshow.
Initially released on May 5, 2025 at 5:37 PM Pacific Time.
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