Waymo, the autonomous vehicle subsidiary of Alphabet, has received approval from the California Public Utilities Commission to expand its commercial robotaxi service into additional areas of Silicon Valley. This marks a significant step in Waymo’s growth, with the service now covering much of the South Bay and nearly all of San Jose, increasing its operational area to approximately 85 square miles. This includes cities like Mountain View, Palo Alto, Los Altos, and Sunnyvale, marking a key milestone in Waymo’s ambitions to make autonomous ride-hailing more widely available.
Previously, Waymo operated its robotaxi service in parts of the Peninsula and San Francisco. While this expansion increases the company’s coverage, Waymo has indicated that it does not expect any immediate operational changes. The approval will allow the company to offer a more extensive service to residents and businesses in these newly added areas.
Additionally, Waymo is working toward introducing its services at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). It has been granted a temporary permit to map the airport’s roadways, a step toward securing full approval to operate within the airport. This potential service expansion highlights Waymo’s broader strategy to make autonomous vehicles a standard part of public transport options.
Waymo’s robotaxi service, already available in cities like Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Austin, plans to expand further, with plans to launch in Washington, D.C. by 2026. The company continues to lead the autonomous vehicle sector, providing over 250,000 paid trips per week, and aims to increase its presence in additional key cities across the U.S. With the continued expansion of its services, Waymo remains at the forefront of autonomous transportation, offering a glimpse of what the future of urban mobility could look like.
