Waymo, the autonomous ride-hailing service owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet, is expanding its operations in the San Francisco Peninsula and Los Angeles. The company is adding 10 square miles around San Francisco and 16 square miles around LA, allowing more riders to access its services.
In San Francisco, Waymo has been operating since 2009 and introduced fully autonomous rides in late 2022. In June, the company removed the waitlist, making it possible for anyone to hail a ride through the Waymo One app 24/7. The service is also available to the public in metro Phoenix and select members of the public in Los Angeles.
Waymo currently conducts over 50,000 paid trips every week across San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix using the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace. The cost of a ride varies based on time and location, but the prices are comparable to other ride-hailing services like Uber or Lyft.
However, Waymo has faced challenges in its expansion. The company faced criticism after some of its vehicles were involved in high-profile collisions earlier this year. It addressed the issue by recalling and updating its software. Waymo claims that its autonomous Waymo Driver is significantly better at avoiding crashes compared to human drivers.
Waymo’s competitor, Cruise, also faced setbacks when one of its driverless cars hit a pedestrian, leading to a suspension of its operations in California. However, Cruise has resumed manual and supervised rides in Dallas and Houston as part of its effort to validate its self-driving technology against safety and performance standards.
Overall, Waymo’s expansion demonstrates the company’s commitment to advancing autonomous driving technology and making it accessible to more riders. Despite the challenges faced along the way, Waymo continues to prioritize safety and improve its software to ensure a smooth and secure ride for its passengers.
