Waymo has announced plans to launch commercial robotaxi services in three new cities: San Diego, Las Vegas and Detroit . The announcement comes after the company said it would begin scaling its operations to bring its fully autonomous technology to more people in a faster timeframe.
Waymo hasn't said exactly when it plans to open its vehicles to customers in all three cities, but it's likely to be sometime next year. The company already operates in five cities: the Bay Area San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin, and Atlanta. It has also said it intends to launch services in Boston, Seattle, Denver, Miami, New York, and Washington, D.C., although it's facing local pushback (in both Boston and Seattle).
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Waymo has a license to operate autonomous passenger vehicles in California, but it will need to get approval in Nevada and Michigan before it can operate fully autonomous vehicles commercially. In Michigan, Waymo will need a license from the Transportation Network Company, and in Nevada, it will need testing approval from both the DMV and the state transportation authority for commercial operations.
“We will follow our safety framework and serve passengers in these cities once we have sufficiently validated our technology and received the necessary permits, with the intention of opening our doors to passengers next year,” Karp added in an email.
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Waymo also plans to add its new Zeekr RT to its fleet of Jaguar I-Pace SUVswhen it is ready to begin commercial operations in the three cities. The Zeekr RT, manufactured by China’s Geely, will be equipped with the company’s 6th-generation technology (Waymo claims is more cost-effective).
Waymo's continued robotaxi expansion
Waymo's expansion into new cities is part of its strategy to increase its presence in the autonomous vehicle market. The company has invested significantly in developing technologies that allow safely and efficiently robotaxi to operate its. The use of 6th generation technology is expected to reduce operating costs and increase efficiency, making the service more accessible to the general public.
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Waymo has already proven its ability to operate safely in busy urban areas like San Francisco and Los Angeles, and expanding to cities like Detroit and Las Vegas will allow it to test its capabilities in different environments.
The challenge for Waymo will be overcoming local resistance and securing the necessary permits to launch in new cities, but the company seems determined to continue its expansion and bring its innovative services to more consumers.
