3 days ago
Waymo begins testing robotaxis in Houston
Waymo — the company behind self-driving robotaxis in cities like Austin and Los Angeles — is getting the lay of the land in Houston starting this week.
Why it matters: Described as a "road trip," Waymo's visit marks its introduction to the Bayou City, signaling another possible rollout of autonomous vehicles for locals.
How it works: For now, trained specialists will manually drive around 10 Waymo vehicles to help the company gather data on Houston streets.
The intrigue: Although testing is underway, Waymo spokesperson Sandy Karp tells Axios the company has "no plans to share about launching a service in Houston at this time."
What they're saying:"Like other visitors to Space City, we can't wait to take in the sights, immerse ourselves in Houston's distinct driving culture, and meet with locals," Karp said in a statement.
Zoom out: Waymo began test runs in other cities this year, including Dallas, San Diego, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Nashville and Boston.
Along with Houston, San Antonio and Orlando are the latest cities where Waymo recently began testing.
Reality check: Several Austin residents have filed complaints against Waymo, citing safety concerns and a "near-miss" since the company began testing there in March 2024.
Flashback: That story similarly played out in Houston when GM's now-shuttered Cruise robotaxi experiment proved problematic.
Between the lines: Karp says Waymo is committed to working with communities and public officials in the cities it enters, but Mayor John Whitmire's office says they didn't get a heads-up from the company about their plans.
"City departments and emergency responders have been briefed on protocols for interacting with autonomous vehicles," Whitmire spokesperson Mary Benton tells Axios. "The mayor will continue to monitor the situation."
