Waymo announced on Monday that it will launch a robotaxi service in Detroit, Las Vegas, and San Diego. This move accelerates the expansion plans for the Alphabet-owned company. The announcement highlights Waymo’s transition from an autonomous vehicle technology developer into a commercial enterprise. This follows recent comments from Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana, who stated last week that it is imperative for the company to scale its operations.
Mawakana said that by the end of 2026, the company expects to be offering one million trips per week. As of April, Waymo was completing more than 250,000 rides each week. The company has added more rides since then but has not shared a specific updated number.
Waymo extensively tested its technology in Silicon Valley before launching its first commercial robotaxi service in Phoenix. This was followed by expansions into the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. Over the past year, the company also brought its robotaxis to Atlanta and Austin through a partnership with Uber. Waymo has announced further plans to expand its commercial business to several new markets in 2026, including Denver, Miami, Nashville, London, Seattle, and Washington DC.
The company stated it will roll out a mix of self-driving Jaguar I-Pace and Zeekr RT vehicles to the three new markets this week. The public will not have immediate access to the service. Waymo’s standard strategy begins with human drivers manually operating the vehicles to map city streets. The human safety operators are eventually removed, allowing the autonomous vehicles, which are equipped with cameras, radar, and lidar sensors, to navigate on their own. After a period of driverless testing, Waymo typically offers access to employees, media, and select consumers before finally opening the robotaxi service to the general public.
Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley said in a statement that the introduction of Waymo and its autonomous driving technology is a proven and safe new alternative designed to help residents and visitors get around the city. She added that the city is committed to ensuring this technology is adopted responsibly.
Waymo is already familiar with these three new cities. The company has previously brought its autonomous vehicles to Detroit, Las Vegas, and San Diego. Waymo also has an engineering team based in the Detroit area. The company says it is prepared for snowy conditions in Detroit after spending multiple seasons driving across the metro Detroit area and the Upper Peninsula to expand its winter weather capabilities.
Waymo noted that its rapid expansion is possible due to the generalized approach of its self-driving system. This growth has helped establish Waymo as the dominant player in the robotaxi market. However, other companies are also competing for market share. Zoox operates a free robotaxi service in Las Vegas, a city where it has tested and developed its technology for years. Tesla also has a robotaxi service, which still keeps humans in the passenger seat, operating in parts of Austin.