Waymo, Alphabet’s autonomous driving subsidiary, is now delivering over 250,000 paid robotaxi rides per week in the United States, marking a significant milestone in the commercial deployment of driverless transportation. The company operates fully autonomous, fare-collecting vehicles in major markets including San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Austin, with plans to expand into Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, D.C. in the coming year.
This growth underscores Waymo’s position as the only U.S. company currently offering fully driverless, revenue-generating rides at scale. Its fleet of over 700 vehicles—300 of which are active in San Francisco—relies on a combination of cameras and lidar sensors to navigate complex urban environments. Unlike Tesla, which uses a vision-only approach, Waymo’s sensor redundancy is designed to enhance safety and reliability.
Waymo’s expansion strategy includes partnerships with Uber, Jaguar, Hyundai, Zeekr, and fleet operator Moove. These collaborations are helping the company scale operations while maintaining a focus on safety and regulatory compliance. In Austin, for example, Waymo vehicles can be hailed through the Uber app, reflecting a hybrid approach to market penetration.
Looking ahead, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai has hinted at the possibility of offering Waymo vehicles for personal ownership, though no timeline has been provided. Analysts suggest that any such move would likely involve partnerships with automakers, as Alphabet is not expected to manufacture vehicles directly.
As Waymo continues to scale its robotaxi services, it faces competition from companies like Tesla, which plans to launch its own ride-hailing service later this year. However, Waymo’s early lead and focus on safety through sensor redundancy may provide a competitive advantage in the evolving autonomous vehicle landscape.
