Technology
Waymo expands public robotaxi services to Denver, San Diego, and Tampa
The expansion brings the Alphabet-owned company's commercial driverless service to 14 U.S. cities.
The short version
- Waymo has opened its driverless ride-hailing service to the general public in Denver, San Diego, and Tampa.
- Tens of thousands of pre-registered users in each city will be granted access gradually over the coming weeks.
- The rollout introduces Waymo's new Zeekr-built minivan-style vehicles in Denver and San Diego, and places the company in direct competition with Tesla's ride service in Tampa.
Key facts
- Waymo launched its public driverless ride-hailing service in Denver, San Diego, and Tampa, expanding its footprint to 14 U.S. cities.[Electrek]
- The company has launched commercial services in seven new cities since March 2025 as part of an effort to reach 1 million paid rides per week by the end of the year.[Electrek]
- Riders in Denver and San Diego will use Waymo's new minivan-style vehicles manufactured by Zeekr, which run the company's next-generation autonomous driving system.[Electrek]
- Waymo claims its autonomous vehicles have been involved in 94% fewer serious-injury crashes than human drivers over equivalent distances, though the service primarily operates in lower-speed areas.[Electrek]
- Tampa is now a shared market for driverless services, with both Waymo and Tesla offering paid autonomous rides in the city.[Electrek]
What remains uncertain
- It remains unclear whether Waymo can scale production of its new Zeekr-built vehicles to the volume required for its commercial targets, and if the economics of its hardware-heavy sensor suite will prove profitable.[Electrek]