Waymo announced Wednesday it will begin rolling out driverless vehicles in four new U.S. cities in the coming weeks: San Diego, Las Vegas, Tampa, Florida, and Denver. The expansion furthers the Alphabet-owned robotaxi division's U.S. presence and builds on its lead over domestic rivals Tesla and Zoox, which is owned by Amazon. While the launch will initially be for Alphabet employees, the rollout will then extend to the public. Waymo first announced the expansion plans last year and currently operates driverless cars in more than 10 cities.
Waymo Expands Driverless Service to Four New Cities
Waymo will soon start offering fully autonomous rides in San Diego, Las Vegas, Tampa, Florida, and Denver, the company said Wednesday. The rollout will initially be for Alphabet employees before extending to the public.
While Waymo has a big head start in the market, Tesla and Zoox are both slowly pushing into new cities. Zoox is preparing to launch its robotaxi service to some members of the public in Austin, Texas, and Miami later this year, and Tesla is going beyond Austin into other parts of Texas as well as to Miami.
Waymo Fleet Includes 4,000 Robotaxis as of May
As of May, Waymo's domestic fleet included about 4,000 robotaxis equipped with the company's fifth- and sixth-generation automated driving systems, according to filings with U.S. auto safety regulators.
Waymo Vehicles Encounter Operational Challenges
Waymo's latest announcement comes as the company confronts challenges that are arising as more of its cars hit the road. Some of its vehicles have driven into flooded roadways following extreme weather events, and during the Fourth of July celebrations, a number of vehicles in San Francisco were stuck in traffic for so long that their batteries died, while another was seen driving into fireworks.
Waymo Raised $16 Billion in February
In February, Waymo raised $16 billion from Alphabet and other backers. The company plans to begin service in London, its first international market, later this year, having driven more than 20 million overall autonomous rides, with its sights set on hitting 1 million weekly trips by the end of the year.
FAQ
When will Waymo launch driverless rides in the four new cities?
Waymo announced Wednesday it will begin rolling out driverless vehicles in San Diego, Las Vegas, Tampa, Florida, and Denver in the coming weeks. The launch will initially be for Alphabet employees before extending to the public.
How does Waymo's expansion compare to its competitors?
Waymo currently operates driverless cars in more than 10 cities, maintaining a lead over domestic rivals Tesla and Zoox. Zoox is preparing to launch its robotaxi service to some members of the public in Austin, Texas, and Miami later this year, while Tesla is expanding into other parts of Texas and Miami.
What operational challenges has Waymo faced recently?
Some Waymo vehicles have driven into flooded roadways following extreme weather events. During the Fourth of July celebrations, a number of vehicles in San Francisco were stuck in traffic for so long that their batteries died, while another was seen driving into fireworks.
