Waymo rolls out self-driving taxis in three more U.S. cities

Waymo has begun offering robotaxi rides to the public in Denver, San Diego, and Tampa, bringing its commercial operations to 14 U.S. cities. The company's fleet now exceeds 4,000 self-driving vehicles, and it plans to gradually expand access in each new market. The launches intensify competition with Tesla, which is also expanding its driverless ride-hailing service.

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Waymo's entry into each new market follows a consistent sequence: mapping and testing its technology, removing the human safety operator, then granting access to employees and invited guests before opening to paying riders. The company's newer Ojai minivan, built by Zeekr with a sixth-generation system, is engineered for lower production and upkeep costs, though only about 300 are deployed against thousands of Jaguar I-Paces.

The company recently secured Nevada approval to operate up to 1,000 vehicles in Clark County, home to Las Vegas, and is preparing international launches in London and Munich. Tesla, meanwhile, charges for driverless Model Y rides in six cities and is developing its Cybercab, a purpose-built two-seater lacking a steering wheel and pedals, to accelerate its own expansion.