Alphabet-backed Waymo began operating fully autonomous vehicles in Miami on Tuesday, marking a major step in its expansion plans.
The ride-hailing company is looking to reach more cities in the United States as it steps up efforts to cement its leadership position in self-driving technology.
The company said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that it plans to roll out fully autonomous vehicle operations in at least four more US cities — including Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Orlando — in the coming weeks ahead of a public launch for riders in 2026.
“Get ready. We’re driving fully autonomously in Miami – meaning the driver’s seat is empty and the Waymo driver is in full control. Next up: Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Orlando,” the post read.
Currently, Waymo is the only operator offering paid robotaxi rides in the U.S. that are completely driverless, meaning they operate without safety controls or in-vehicle monitors.
Growing investment in self-driving vehicles
Waymo’s aggressive expansion highlights the intensifying competition in the market for the commercialization of fully autonomous vehicles, with leading players focusing on safety, technology improvements and regulatory cooperation to secure market share, Reuters said in a report.
Rivals such as Tesla and Amazon’s Zoox are also investing heavily in autonomous technology.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced last month that the electric car maker aims to roll out its robotaxi service in eight to 10 metro areas in the United States by the end of this year, subject to regulatory approval. Tesla also expects to remove human safety monitors in “large parts of Austin” in the same time frame, Reuters reported.
Robotaxis inspection face
Robotaxi firms continue to face scrutiny after a series of incidents, but that hasn’t stopped operators from betting that wider deployment and improved safety data can help streamline operations and gain public trust.
In October, Tesla faced an investigation that looked into 58 incidents where Tesla cars apparently violated road safety laws when their Full Self Driving mode was activated, Mint reported earlier.
Formed in 2016 from Google’s self-driving project, Waymo boasts a sizeable fleet of over 1,500 vehicles.
“The future of transportation is accelerating, and we’re moving it forward with a commitment to quality and safety. Our rigorous process of constant iteration, validation, and local engagement ensures we put the community first as we expand. With this commitment, we’ll continue to bring a safe, reliable, and magical cycling experience to more Waymo riders around the world,” Way noted in a postmo blog.
