Waymo’s Rapid Robotaxi Expansion: Detroit, Las Vegas, and San Diego Join the Autonomous Revolution
Waymo, the autonomous vehicle subsidiary of Alphabet, has announced the launch of its robotaxi services in Detroit, Las Vegas, and San Diego, marking a significant stride in its commercial expansion. This move underscores Waymo’s transition from a technology developer to a full-fledged commercial enterprise.
During TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Waymo’s co-CEO, Tekedra Mawakana, emphasized the company’s commitment to scaling its operations. She projected that by the end of 2026, Waymo aims to offer one million trips per week. As of April, the company had already surpassed 250,000 rides per week, with numbers continuing to grow.
Waymo’s journey began with extensive testing in Silicon Valley, leading to the launch of commercial robotaxi services in Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Los Angeles. In the past year, the company expanded to Atlanta and Austin through a partnership with Uber. Looking ahead to 2026, Waymo plans to introduce its services in Denver, Miami, Nashville, London, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.
The rollout in Detroit, Las Vegas, and San Diego will feature a combination of self-driving Jaguar I-Pace and Zeekr RT vehicles. Initially, these vehicles will be manually operated to map city streets. Subsequently, human safety operators will be phased out, allowing the autonomous vehicles, equipped with advanced sensors and self-driving software, to navigate independently. Following a period of driverless testing, Waymo plans to offer rides to employees, media, select consumers, and eventually the general public.
Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, stating that Waymo’s autonomous technology offers a proven, safe alternative for residents and visitors to navigate the city. She emphasized the city’s commitment to responsible adoption of this technology.
Waymo’s familiarity with these cities stems from previous deployments and testing phases. In Detroit, the company has conducted extensive winter weather testing, preparing its vehicles for snowy conditions. This expansion strategy reflects Waymo’s generalized approach to self-driving systems, enabling rapid growth and positioning the company as a dominant player in the robotaxi market.
However, competition is intensifying. Zoox operates a free robotaxi service in Las Vegas, and Tesla has initiated a robotaxi service with human operators in parts of Austin. As the autonomous vehicle industry evolves, Waymo’s aggressive expansion underscores its commitment to leading the future of urban mobility.
