Self-driving vehicles are slowly turning into much less sci-fi and extra real-world as corporations resembling Waymo quickly develop into extra areas.
Waymo, which is owned by Google’s mum or dad Alphabet, now operates absolutely autonomous rides in a handful of cities throughout the US, with dozens extra on the horizon, together with in worldwide places. It first rolled out in areas with extra temperate climates together with Phoenix and San Francisco. However Waymo’s newest autonomous driving tech has allowed it to develop testing to cities with harsh winters, resembling Minneapolis and Detroit, in addition to wet cities like Seattle and London.
Passengers can hail a journey both by way of the Waymo app or Uber (or each), relying on the town. In November, Waymo started driving passengers on freeways in San Francisco, Phoenix and Los Angeles, which can assist to hurry up journeys.
Rides for the general public presently occur aboard the all-electric Jaguar I-Tempo, which makes use of Waymo’s fifth-generation autonomous driving know-how. However Waymo can also be deploying its modified Zeekr automobile — dubbed Ojai — outfitted with the sixth-generation Waymo Driver, which faucets into AI developments to detect extra particulars and gauge objects in a wide range of lighting and climate circumstances, Waymo mentioned in a weblog publish.
The self-driving firm has added a number of new cities to its roster in latest months. In an Aug. 29 weblog publish, Waymo famous it is “getting into a brand new chapter and accelerating our business growth.” Under, you’ll find a full record of the place Waymo presently operates and plans to develop.
Waymo’s driverless know-how evolves
Waymo has began absolutely autonomous operations with its newest, sixth-generation self-driving know-how, which is constructed to deal with excessive winter climate whereas scaling again prices.
The up to date imaginative and prescient system on the sixth-generation Waymo Driver can discover particulars in deep shadows or whereas being hit with excessive beams, and it requires fewer cameras due to higher-resolution picture sensors. Waymo’s lidar sensors have gotten higher at portray a 3D image of the automobile’s environment in varied climate circumstances, and the corporate’s newest radar sensors use new algorithms to raised monitor the space, pace and dimension of objects in rain or snow. That is crucial because it expands to areas with variable and excessive climates, such because the Midwest.
Waymo is presently testing absolutely autonomous journeys utilizing the sixth-generation driver with workers within the San Francisco Bay Space and Los Angeles earlier than ultimately opening the service as much as the general public. The sixth-generation Waymo Driver is initially being deployed on the Ojai, a modified Zeekr automobile, earlier than ultimately making its option to the Hyundai Ioniq 5.
Waymo’s latest automobile, dubbed Ojai, is a modified Zeekr outfitted with the corporate’s newest sixth-generation self-driving know-how.
Waymo expands and grows
Waymo’s development extends to its manufacturing amenities. In Could, the corporate mentioned it is opening a brand new, 239,000-square-foot autonomous automobile manufacturing facility within the Phoenix space. The plan is so as to add 2,000 extra absolutely autonomous Jaguar I-Tempo autos to its current 1,500-vehicle fleet. Notably, Waymo indicated it obtained its “last supply from Jaguar” final 12 months, because it plans for future iterations of its driverless rides.
Waymo added that the “facility’s versatile design” will permit it to combine its upcoming sixth-generation self-driving know-how into new autos, beginning with the all-electric Zeekr RT, which Waymo has dubbed Ojai. In February 2026, Waymo mentioned it was starting absolutely autonomous operations with the sixth-generation driver aboard the Ojai, beginning with workers earlier than ultimately increasing to extra passengers.
In October 2024, Waymo additionally introduced it is partnering with Hyundai to convey the following technology of its know-how into Ioniq 5 SUVs. Within the years to come back, riders will be capable of summon these all-electric, autonomous autos utilizing the Waymo app. Testing with these autos started in 2025 and so they’ll change into out there “within the years to comply with.”
And in April 2025, Waymo mentioned it reached a preliminary settlement with Toyota to “discover a collaboration” geared towards creating autonomous driving tech, which might sometime be factored into personally owned autos.
Waymo is working to develop its autonomous driving tech into trucking as properly, however it mentioned in 2023 that it is scaling again these efforts in the intervening time to deal with ride-hailing with Waymo One. It famous, “Our ongoing funding in advancing Waymo Driver capabilities, particularly on freeways, will immediately translate to trucking and profit its growth efforts.”
Waymo security and pushback
Waymo says it is pushed greater than 200 million absolutely autonomous miles as a part of its ride-hailing service, and completes over 400,000 paid journeys every week. I’ve hailed a number of rides myself in San Francisco, and as off-putting as it will probably appear at first (particularly to see a steering wheel flip by itself), I shortly adjusted, and it quickly felt like an bizarre journey.
That is to not say there hasn’t been pushback as Waymo rolls out to extra cities. The corporate’s autos have been concerned in a handful of high-profile collisions, a few of which it is addresed by updating its software program. Its autos have additionally struggled to navigate building zones, pushed onto the trail of an oncoming prepare and blocked visitors throughout an influence outage in San Francisco. In January 2026, a Waymo robotaxi hit a younger pedestrian close to a faculty in Santa Monica, California.
Waymo’s Security Impression report notes that over the course of 71 million autonomous miles pushed by means of March 2025, its Waymo Driver know-how had 88% fewer crashes resulting in severe accidents or worse and 78% fewer injury-causing crashes, in contrast with “a mean human driver over the identical distance in our working cities.” It additionally reported considerably fewer crashes with accidents to pedestrians (93%), cyclists (81%) and motorcyclists (86%).
In some cities, Waymo is out there on the Uber app.
hail a Waymo journey
As Waymo continues to develop and develop its self-driving tech, here is how and the place to summon a robotaxi should you’re in one of many few cities the place the corporate presently operates its fleet.
Watch this: Testing Waymo’s Protected Exit Characteristic in a Self-Driving Taxi
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Phoenix
Phoenix was the primary metropolis to open up absolutely autonomous Waymo rides to the general public in 2020. To hail a journey, obtain the Waymo app on iOS or Android. The service operates 24 hours a day, seven days every week.
You can even use the Uber app to summon one among Waymo’s autos in Phoenix. While you request an UberX, Uber Inexperienced, Uber Consolation or Uber Consolation Electrical journey, you may have the selection to verify a Waymo journey should you’re matched.
Along with hailing a journey, you may additionally have your Uber Eats meal delivered by an autonomous automobile. When inserting an order within the Phoenix space, you would possibly get a word that “autonomous autos might ship your order.” When the Waymo automobile arrives, take your cellphone with you to pop open the trunk and seize your supply. You may decide out of this throughout checkout should you’d slightly have a human ship your meals.
Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport turned the primary main airport to supply absolutely autonomous Waymo rides to its terminals. Waymo mentioned in September 2025 that it had “served tons of of 1000’s of journeys to/from Sky Harbor, and it stays the only hottest Waymo vacation spot in Phoenix.”
Waymo added freeway entry for passengers in Phoenix in November 2025.
San Francisco Bay Space
San Francisco adopted go well with after Phoenix, rolling out absolutely autonomous rides in late 2022. It scrapped the ready record in June 2024, so now anybody can obtain the Waymo app to journey anytime. The service additionally operates 24 hours a day, seven days every week. There’s presently no Uber partnership in San Francisco.
In November 2025, Waymo expanded its service space to greater than 260 sq. miles throughout the San Francisco Bay Space and added freeway entry for passengers. Riders can now hail a driverless journey to San Jose Mineta Worldwide Airport in addition to San Francisco Worldwide Airport.
Los Angeles County
In November 2024, Waymo scrapped its waitlist for Los Angeles and started welcoming all public riders by way of the Waymo app. Now any passengers can hop within the robotaxis 24/7 and journey all through LA County, together with Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Inglewood, Silver Lake, Playa del Rey, Ladera Heights, Echo Park and Downtown LA.
There’s presently no Uber partnership in Los Angeles.
In November 2025, Waymo started rolling out freeway entry to LA riders.
Austin
Riders can hail a Waymo throughout a lot of Austin, together with neighborhoods resembling Crestview, Windsor Park and Franklin Park, in addition to places together with The Area and McKinney Falls State Park. There are plans for future expansions.
In Austin, the one option to hail a Waymo journey is thru Uber — no Waymo app right here. By requesting an UberX, Uber Inexperienced, Uber Consolation or Uber Consolation Electrical, you would be matched with a Waymo automobile — and you will not be upcharged. If you happen to’d slightly not take a driverless journey, you possibly can change to a regular one. Then again, if you wish to increase your probabilities of being matched to a self-driving automobile, you possibly can go to Account > Settings > Autonomous autos, then hit the toggle subsequent to Get extra Waymo rides.
Unlock the door, pop open the trunk and begin the journey from the Uber app. You will nonetheless be requested to price your journey on the finish, however you will not be requested to tip.
If there are any points, riders can entry human assist 24/7 by way of the Uber app and from contained in the Waymo automobile (there are screens in the back and front that allow you to shortly summon buyer assist).
As a part of the Uber partnership, Uber will handle duties like automobile cleansing and restore, whereas “Waymo will proceed to be chargeable for the testing and operation of the Waymo Driver, together with roadside help and sure rider assist features,” the businesses mentioned. The collaboration ought to make autonomous rides accessible to extra folks, so they will not need to obtain a separate app to journey a robotaxi.
Atlanta
Waymo operates throughout many elements of Atlanta, with plans for future expansions. As in Austin, you possibly can solely climb aboard a Waymo robotaxi by way of the Uber app. While you e-book a journey by means of UberX, Uber Consolation or Uber Consolation Electrical, you may be paired with a Waymo automobile at no further value. You will have the choice to just accept or decline the driverless journey every time.
You may unlock the automobile, pop the trunk and begin the journey all from the Uber app, and you’ll entry human assist 24/7 by way of the app and touchscreens contained in the automobile.
If you wish to increase your probabilities of being paired with a Waymo automobile, you possibly can decide in by going to the Uber app, tapping Account > Settings > Autonomous autos (underneath Journey Preferences) after which hitting the toggle subsequent to Get extra Waymo rides.
Miami
Waymo opened as much as its first public riders in Miami in January 2026, beginning with a handful of individuals from its waitlist. Its present service space consists of the Design District, Wynwood, Brickell and Coral Gables, with plans to develop to Miami Worldwide Airport “quickly.”
Riders can use the Waymo app to hitch a journey, if they have been granted entry.
The corporate carried out climate testing within the lead-up to Miami’s rollout, noting in a weblog publish, “Our earlier street journeys to the Sunshine State’s difficult wet circumstances have been invaluable in advancing our autonomous driving capabilities.”
Waymo is collaborating with Moove, a fintech firm that gives automobile financing, first in Phoenix, the place Moove will handle the robotaxi’s fleet operations, amenities and charging infrastructure. In Phoenix after which Miami, “Waymo will proceed to supply our service by means of the Waymo app, and stay chargeable for validation and operation of the Waymo Driver,” the corporate mentioned in a weblog publish.
Dallas, Houston and San Antonio
In February 2026, Waymo expanded to Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. Riders are being invited on a rolling foundation “to make sure a seamless expertise throughout our preliminary service areas,” as Waymo scales its operations and opens as much as all members of most of the people later in 2026, the corporate mentioned.
Riders can hail a journey utilizing the Waymo app. The corporate is teaming up with Avis Funds Group, which can handle Waymo’s fleet, together with automobile cleansing and upkeep.
In March 2026, Waymo expanded its service to San Antonio Worldwide Airport. Passengers are dropped off immediately outdoors the terminals, and pickups occur on the designated rideshare space.
Orlando
In February 2026, Waymo started permitting public riders to make use of its service in Orlando. Like the corporate’s debut in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, which occurred concurrently, Waymo is granting entry to riders on a rolling foundation because it scales its operations.
Riders can hail a journey utilizing the Waymo app.
Waymo autos can now drive passengers on freeways in Phoenix, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Upcoming expansions
Chicago
In February 2026, Waymo shared its growth into the Windy Metropolis. The corporate is beginning with handbook mapping and information assortment to put the groundwork for autonomous driving and ride-hailing down the street.
Charlotte
Along with Chicago, Waymo in February 2026 mentioned it is heading to Charlotte. It will start with handbook mapping and information assortment earlier than providing autonomous driving.
Sacramento
Including to the record of Californian cities wherein it operates, Waymo mentioned in February 2026 that it is heading to Sacramento. The corporate will begin by manually driving its Jaguar I-Tempo autos across the metropolis to raised perceive its structure earlier than scaling to autonomous driving.
It is not clear when riders will be capable of hail a journey in Sacramento. Waymo says it has the required DMV allow to function autonomously within the metropolis, however it hasn’t but obtained a business deployment allow from the California Public Utilities Fee, which is required for driverless operations.
Boston
Waymo is bringing its autos to Boston, however there is no clear timeline but for when rides might be out there to the general public there. In a weblog publish, Waymo mentioned it is working with officers to get Massachusetts to legalize absolutely autonomous autos.
Baltimore
In December 2025, Waymo mentioned it was starting handbook driving in Baltimore. It will step by step work towards autonomous rides.
St. Louis
Waymo additionally launched handbook driving operations in St. Louis in December 2025, because it builds towards autonomous driving.
New Orleans
In November 2025, Waymo mentioned it will start handbook driving in New Orleans because it builds towards a robotaxi service there. It is not clear when precisely the general public will be capable of journey within the metropolis; it might be in 2026, relying on when the corporate validates its know-how. Waymo is utilizing its fifth-generation driving know-how “as we lay the groundwork for our companies,” the corporate mentioned, with the choice so as to add future autos outfitted with its newer sixth-generation tech because it expands.
Minneapolis
Like New Orleans, Waymo started handbook driving in Minneapolis in November 2025. As soon as the corporate has validated its tech there, riders will be capable of climb aboard.
Las Vegas
Waymo started autonomous testing with a driver behind the wheel in Las Vegas in December 2025.
As a part of the rollout, the corporate is deploying each its Jaguar I-Tempo fleet, which already operates in a handful of different cities, and the newer Zeeker RT autos outfitted with Waymo’s newest, sixth-generation self-driving know-how.
“We have often visited Las Vegas through the years and located the Waymo Driver simply adapts to the town,” Waymo mentioned in a weblog publish. “Whereas Las Vegas is exclusive, its driving dynamics are familiar-similar to cities the place we already function. This familiarity positions us properly to assist serve Las Vegas’s 40-plus million annual guests.”
Waymo mentioned it plans to make its ride-hailing service out there in Vegas in the summertime of 2026.
San Diego
San Diego is one among many cities Waymo is increasing to in its residence state of California.
“As we work to develop our deployment permits, we’re partnering with native groups, coaching first responders, and deepening neighborhood relationships so we are able to finest serve the neighborhood and its guests after we open our doorways,” the corporate mentioned in a November 2025 weblog publish.
It will deploy each its Jaguar I-Tempo fleet and the newer Zeeker RT autos, that are outfitted with Waymo’s newest self-driving know-how.
Waymo says it plans to open up its autonomous service in San Diego in 2026.
Detroit
In contrast to lots of the different cities Waymo is increasing to, Detroit presents the problem of harsh winter climate. Just like Las Vegas and San Diego, Waymo will deploy each its present Jaguar I-Tempo fleet and Zeeker RT autos, that are outfitted with its newest autonomous know-how.
In a November 2025 weblog publish, Waymo mentioned it has “often examined in Detroit throughout winter climate to develop our capabilities in snow and ice. We have made nice strides in our efforts to function in heavier snow — together with testing in Michigan’s Higher Peninsula — and look ahead to the Sixth-generation Waymo Driver navigating Detroit streets this winter.”
London
In mid-October 2025, Waymo mentioned its autos are headed to London, making the town its first European location. It will begin driving on the town’s roads with people behind the wheel “whereas we lay the groundwork for absolutely autonomous operations,” the corporate mentioned in a press release. “We’ll scale up based mostly on pointers established by the UK Division for Transport and Transport for London, and work intently with native and nationwide leaders to safe the required permissions to supply absolutely autonomous rides in 2026.”
London is Waymo’s second worldwide metropolis, after it introduced in 2024 that it is increasing to Tokyo, although passengers cannot hail a journey there simply but both.
Nashville
Waymo is partnering with Lyft to develop to Nashville. Waymo started driving within the metropolis autonomously in February 2026, because it prepares to open to the general public later this 12 months. Riders will be capable of hail autos by means of the Waymo app, and can ultimately have the choice to be matched with a robotaxi within the Lyft app, too.
As a part of the collaboration, Lyft will handle the robotaxi fleet, which incorporates automobile upkeep and cleansing, whereas Waymo might be chargeable for the self-driving know-how.
Denver
Waymo arrived in Denver within the fall of 2025 “to put the groundwork for a completely autonomous service sooner or later,” the corporate mentioned in an early September weblog publish. It will deploy a blended fleet consisting of Jaguar I-Tempo autos with its fifth-generation Waymo Driver in addition to Zeekr RT autos with the sixth-generation Waymo Driver. That newer know-how “is knowledgeable by years of winter climate expertise throughout Michigan, upstate New York, and the Sierra Nevada and engineered to autonomously maintain operations in harsher climates,” Waymo mentioned.
Seattle
In early September 2025, Waymo shared that it is heading to the Seattle metropolitan space, noting in a weblog publish that it “spent years attending to know the world — from communities across the Lake to its notoriously moist climate.” It is not but clear when precisely that service will launch.
New York Metropolis
In June 2025, Waymo shared plans to convey its autonomous tech again to New York, after having first operated by hand its autos there in 2021. It as soon as once more started driving manually within the Massive Apple in early July, particularly in Manhattan and elements of downtown Brooklyn, in addition to in close by Jersey Metropolis and Hoboken. Waymo submitted a allow utility with the New York Metropolis Division of Transportation to function autonomously with a human behind the wheel, which was granted in late August.
Present legal guidelines within the state of New York do not allow the identical absolutely autonomous ride-hailing service that corporations like Waymo provide in different elements of the nation, so Waymo remains to be unable to cost for rides. In June 2025, Waymo mentioned it was “advocating for a change in state regulation that might permit for working a automobile with no human behind the wheel,” including, “we’ve each intention of bringing our absolutely autonomous ride-hailing service to the town sooner or later.”
In February 2026, New York Governor Kathy Hochul withdrew a proposal that might have allowed robotaxis to function within the state outdoors of New York Metropolis, making a street bump for Waymo’s growth plans.
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh
Waymo mentioned in July 2025 that it is bringing a restricted fleet of its autos to “probably the most complicated elements” of Philadelphia,”together with downtown and freeways.” And in December 2025, the corporate mentioned it is now working autonomously with a skilled human specialist behind the wheel.
It is also kicking off handbook driving in Pittsburgh earlier than ultimately constructing as much as autonomous driving.
Washington, DC
Waymo plans to begin providing rides by means of its Waymo app in Washington, DC, in 2026. The corporate returned to the nation’s capital in January 2025 to check its autonomous driving tech. In late March, it mentioned it was bringing extra autos to the town and dealing to scale its service all year long. In a weblog publish, Waymo mentioned it’s going to “proceed to work intently with policymakers to formalize the laws wanted to function and not using a human behind the wheel within the District.”
Tampa
Waymo is beginning handbook driving in Tampa, although it is not clear when folks will be capable of hail a robotaxi journey there. It might be later in 2026, if the corporate has validated its self-driving tech within the metropolis.
Tokyo
In December 2024, Waymo introduced it is increasing to Tokyo, making it the corporate’s first worldwide location outdoors of Europe. Waymo is partnering with Japanese taxi service Nihon Kotsu and taxi app Go.
Waymo says skilled Nihon Kotsu drivers will manually drive its autos throughout seven Tokyo wards, together with Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa and Kōtō. This may permit engineers to check and adapt Waymo’s autonomous driving tech to native street options and visitors.
“In Tokyo, we’re abiding by the identical steadfast ideas that information us within the US — dedication to security, dedication to incomes belief in communities the place we function, and collaboration with native officers and neighborhood teams right here in Tokyo,” Nicole Gavel, Waymo’s head of enterprise growth and strategic partnerships, mentioned in a press release.
It is not clear when riders will be capable of hitch a self-driving journey with Waymo in Tokyo.
