Waymo Expands Robotaxi Fleet, Opens Arizona Factory

Waymo, Alphabet's autonomous vehicle division, plans to expand its U.S. robotaxi fleet to 3,500 vehicles by the end of 2025, supported by a new 239,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Mesa, Arizona, operated in partnership with Magna International. Over 2,000 Jaguar I-PACE electric robotaxis will join the current fleet, and the Mesa facility will begin producing autonomous Zeekr RT minivans with sixth-generation Waymo Driver technology in 2026. Vehicles can enter service within 30 minutes of production, enabling rapid fleet deployment. Waymo will launch services in Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, D.C. by 2026, supplementing current operations in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin. The expansion comes amid increasing competition, including Tesla's planned robotaxi launch in Austin and Waymo's preliminary partnership with Toyota. Waymo is also exploring personal ownership options for its self-driving technology.