Waymo Expands Robotaxi Service, Eyes New York Entry

Waymo, Alphabet's autonomous vehicle unit, is expanding its robotaxi operations across California, growing its service areas in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Silicon Valley after recent regulatory approvals. Newly included regions are Brisbane, South San Francisco, Palo Alto, and Menlo Park, bringing Waymo's weekly ride volume to over 250,000, and making it the only U.S. company with commercial robotaxi offerings for paying passengers. The company is now seeking to enter New York City, where it has applied for a permit to test its vehicles with human safety drivers due to current state restrictions on fully autonomous vehicles. Waymo is also lobbying for legislative changes that would allow driverless operation in New York. The expansion comes amid intensifying competition from Tesla, which plans to launch its own robotaxi service in Austin, Texas. Waymo's recent recall of more than 1,200 vehicles to address safety concerns remains under regulatory scrutiny.