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 fully autonomous rides to the general public in cities such as Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin, Texas, with these services being conducted using entirely electric vehicles.
Jaguar I-Pace
It’s broadening its collaboration with Uber by rolling out in
Atlanta
Through the ride-sharing app later this year, and beginning with services in Washington, D.C., and Miami in 2026, they plan to expand their offerings. In April, Waymo announced that it will start operating its vehicles on the roads of Tokyo, marking an expansion for the company into Japan.
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 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 company announced it is
opening a new
, a 239,000-square-foot facility for manufacturing self-driving cars in the Phoenix region. They aim to expand their current fleet of 1,500 vehicles with an additional 2,000 completely autonomous Jaguar I-Pace 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 additionally declared it’s
partnering with Hyundai
to introduce the upcoming version of its technology into
Ioniq 5
In the future, passengers can use the Waymo One application to call upon fully electric, self-driving SUVs.
Waymo claims it offers over 250,000 paid journeys weekly. Personally, I have called multiple rides in San Francisco, and although it might appear unsettling initially—particularly witnessing the steering wheel move autonomously—I adapted swiftly, and it soon felt just like a typical trip.
This does not mean that there has been no 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 over 56.7 million miles, experiencing “85% fewer crashes involving potential severe or greater injuries.” Additionally, they noted considerably reduced crash rates for pedestrians (down by 92%), bicyclists (reduced by 82%), and motorcyclists (also decreased by 82%). The firm additionally published a
data hub
last year, detailing efforts to improve road safety using its technology.
As Waymo keeps growing and refining its autonomous driving technology, here’s what you should do and where you can hail a robo-taxi if you find yourself in one of the select cities where their vehicles are 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 round the clock every single day of the week.
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 a Waymo ride if it’s offered as part of your match.
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 that “self-driving cars might handle your delivery.” Upon the arrival of the Waymo vehicle, bring your smartphone along to unlock the trunk and retrieve your package. If preferred, you can choose not to use autonomous delivery at checkout; instead opting for a person to drop off your meal.
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, therefore, everyone can download the Waymo One app for rides at any time. The service runs around the clock, every day of the week. At present, there isn’t an Uber partnership operating in San Francisco.
In August, Waymo
expanded its ride-hailing service
Into the San Francisco Peninsula, extending by 10 square miles and reaching areas such as Daly City, Broadmoor, and Colma. In March, another expansion occurred allowing certain Waymo One passengers residing in Mountain View, Los Altos, Palo Alto, and portions of Sunnyvale to call for a robotaxi in these locations as well. The firm has stated its intention to gradually broaden access to additional riders within this area.
Summoning a ride in Los Angeles
In November, Waymo eliminated its waitlist for
Los Angeles
and began
welcoming all public riders
Through the Waymo One app, any curious riders can now access these autonomous taxis around the clock for trips covering almost 90 square miles throughout Los Angeles County, which includes areas like Santa Monica and Beverly Hills.
Inglewood
and Downtown Los Angeles — with intentions to broaden its reach to additional locations shortly.
Summoning a ride in Austin
In Austin, the sole method to summon a Waymo ride is
through Uber
— no Waymo One app here. By requesting an UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort or Uber Comfort Electric, you could be matched with a Waymo vehicle — and you won’t be upcharged. If you’d rather not take a driverless ride, you’ll have the option to switch to a standard one. On the other hand, if you want to boost your chances of being matched to a self-driving car, you can go to
Account
>
Settings
>
Autonomous vehicles,
after that, activate the switch beside it
Get more Waymo rides
.
Unlock the door, pop open the trunk and start the ride from the Uber app. You’ll still be asked to rate your ride at the end — but you won’t be asked to tip.
In case of any problems, riders can obtain assistance around the clock through the Uber app or directly within the Waymo vehicle (the interior features displays at both the front and rear for easily contacting customer support).
In the partnership with Uber, Uber will handle responsibilities such as car cleanliness and maintenance, whereas “Waymo will remain in charge of overseeing the testing and functioning of the Waymo Driver, along with providing roadside aid and specific customer service roles,” according to both firms. This cooperation aims to broaden access to self-driving vehicles, eliminating the necessity for passengers 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 self-driving taxi shortly. This service is set to debut during the summer; however, people eager for this experience can
join a waitlist
To boost their likelihood of getting paired with a Waymo vehicle when it’s an option.
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 waitlist might get the opportunity to experience riding with Waymo prior to its general release. Those selected will receive notification through the app as well as via email.
The service will debut covering an area of 65 square miles in Atlanta, with intentions for further growth as stated by Uber. The cost of a Waymo ride will not exceed what you’d normally pay for an UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric journey; prices will be displayed beforehand within the app. Using the Uber app, you can open the car and begin your trip, plus get round-the-clock assistance either through the app itself or directly from within the vehicle.
Up next: Washington, DC, Miami, and Tokyo
Waymo intends to begin providing rides via its Waymo One app in Washington, D.C., starting in 2026.
went back to the country’s capital
In January, they aimed to trial their autonomous vehicle technology. By late March, they announced plans to introduce additional cars to the city with intentions of expanding their services over the course of the year.
blog post
Waymo stated they will “keep collaborating closely with policymakers to establish the necessary regulations for operating vehicles without a person in the driver’s seat in the District.”
You will need to wait until 2026 before you can take a ride with Waymo in Miami. The company has been
conducting weather testing
ahead of that final release, mentioning in a
blog post
Previous journeys we’ve taken to Florida with its tricky wet weather have significantly contributed to improving our self-driving technology.
Waymo plans to join forces 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, maintenance facilities, and charging systems. Moving forward from Phoenix to Miami, “Waymo intends to keep providing its services via the Waymo One application and retain responsibility for validating and operating the Waymo Driver,” as stated by the company.
blog post
.
Waymo’s
expansion into Tokyo
, announced in December, will take place in collaboration with the Japanese taxi service Nihon Kotsu and the taxi app Go. The autonomous vehicle firm revealed in April that they were finally prepared to operate internationally.
Waymo mentions that skilled Nihon Kotsu drivers will manually operate its vehicles through seven areas of Tokyo, namely Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chuo, Shinagawa, and Koto. This initiative aims to enable engineers to evaluate and refine Waymo’s self-driving technology for specific local road conditions and traffic patterns.
“In Tokyo, we adhere to the same unwavering principles that steer our actions in the U.S.—a commitment to safety, a focus on gaining trust within the communities we serve, and working together with local authorities and community organizations right here in Tokyo,” stated Nicole Gavel, who leads business development and strategic partnerships at Waymo.
The timing for riders to enjoy a self-driving trip with Waymo in Tokyo remains uncertain.
The path forward: Upcoming automobiles
In August, Waymo revealed 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-generationDriver systemwill be integrated into their fully electric lineup.
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 that 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, “it will eventually join the Waymo One fleet.” Both companies stated that their aim is “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 vehicle tests are set to begin by late 2025 and will roll out further afterward.
At present, regular commuters aren’t able to use a Waymo vehicle for highway travel, but this could be changing soon. The firm is currently working on trials of completely driverless trips on these roads.
freeways in Phoenix
as observed in an
exclusive video
Shared with CNET in May, it has now started offering completely autonomous freeway trips to Waymo employees.
in Los Angeles
.
Waymo is aiming to extend its autonomous driving technology to include trucks too, though they mentioned last year that it’s
scaling back those efforts
For now, the emphasis is on ride-hailing services using Waymo One. The company stated, “We continue to invest in enhancing the Waymo Driver technology, particularly for freeway use, which will significantly impact 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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