Latest news with #WaymoOne
Miami Herald
31-07-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Tesla Robotaxi pulls ahead of Waymo in San Francisco
Tesla (TSLA) may have started the robotaxi race running behind Waymo, but it has taken the lead in the pair's hometown of San Francisco. Silicon Valley, located in the San Francisco Bay Area, is the home of both Tesla and Waymo, as well as Waymo's parent company, Alphabet. After years of beta testing in the city, Waymo finally made Waymo One (think Uber, but for autonomous vehicles) available to the public in June 2024. Related: Alphabet's Waymo flexes on Tesla Robotaxi with latest update Waymo had nearly 300,000 signups at launch, which has only grown since. As of July 2025, Waymo One is available 24/7 to customers in Los Angeles, Phoenix, as well as the San Francisco Bay Area. Waymo partners with Uber in Austin and Atlanta. Waymo also says it has plans to expand to Miami and Washington, D.C., in 2026. It has been testing in Miami in since December. Waymo's current fleet features over 1,500 vehicles spread across its four current host cities, but by next year, it expects to more than double its fleet with more than 2,000 new additions. Meanwhile, Tesla just launched in Austin in June. But on Thursday, July 31, Tesla officially launched Robotaxi in San Francisco. San Franciscans can hail Robotaxis through the app, but just like the service in Austin, there is a human "safety monitor" in the passenger seat making sure everything is working properly. Thanks to the months of safe testing, Waymo One users in San Francisco get the added privacy of having a truly autonomous riding experience without another human present. But while Tesla is behind in some areas, it's starting off life in the Bay Area with a huge advantage over Waymo. A user on X (the former Twitter) and Tesla enthusast @JoeTegtmeyer posted a map with the Tesla Robotaxi's coverage area overlaid on Waymo's. It doesn't take a cartogropher to see which company has the advantage. So even though Tesla Robotaxi is months behind Waymo One and still needs human training wheels, the Robotaxi has a lot more space to roam in the Bay Area. Earlier this year, Tesla said that its FSD system has driven a cumulative total of 3.6 billion miles, nearly triple the 1.3 billion cumulative miles it reported a year ago. More Tesla Robotaxi Tesla's newest Robotaxi rival has experence and deep pocketsTesla robotaxi safety called into question after frightening videoTeslas faces its most serious court battle in years But according to Musk, the FSD in regular Tesla vehicles is a lower grade than the technology Robotaxi uses. So this more advanced technology has a long way to go to catch up to the real-world traffic miles Waymo has driven. While Tesla Robotaxi is just getting off the ground in Austin and San Francisco, Alphabet's Waymo has been testing its cars on U.S. streets since at least 2018. Since then, Waymo robotaxis have driven more than 100 million miles autonomously, doubling its mileage from just six months ago, according to a company update. "Reaching 100 million fully autonomous miles represents years of methodical progress now accelerating into rapid, responsible scaling," said Waymo Chief Product Officer Saswat Panigrahi. "As we expand to serve more riders in more cities, we'll encounter new challenges that will continue strengthening our service." Waymo had reported traveling 71 million miles autonomously in March, after reaching 50 million at the end of the year. In May, Waymo said its Waymo One app registers over a quarter of a million paid weekly trips across Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin. Related: Tesla fans flock to social media to celebrate Robotaxi launch The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
CNET
29-07-2025
- Automotive
- CNET
Waymo Is Expanding to Dallas. Everything to Know About the Robotaxi
Table of Contents Waymo Is Expanding to Dallas. Everything to Know About the Robotaxi Self-driving cars are slowly becoming less sci-fi and more real-world as companies like Waymo, the autonomous arm of Google's parent Alphabet, expand into more cities. On Monday, the company shared it's planning to make its robotaxi service available in Dallas through a partnership with Avis Budget Group, which will manage the fleet. Waymo has already begun early testing there, and says it plans to offer public rides in the city next year. Waymo currently operates fully autonomous rides for the general public in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Austin, Texas, which take place aboard the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace. The vehicles can be summoned either via the Waymo One app or Uber, depending on the city. Waymo plans to begin offering rides in Washington, DC, and Miami starting in 2026. In April, it said it'll begin driving its vehicles on Tokyo's streets, making this the company's first international location. Earlier this month, Waymo's vehicles also arrived on the streets of New York City, where the company will begin by manually collecting driving data. It's also rolling out a limited fleet of vehicles with human drivers in Philadelphia. The goal is to develop its technology and possibly expand its ride-hailing service to those cities someday. In January, Waymo announced it would begin testing with manually driven vehicles in 10 new cities this year, starting with Las Vegas and San Diego. And in April, it said it reached a preliminary agreement with Toyota to "explore a collaboration" geared toward developing autonomous driving tech, which could someday be factored into personally owned vehicles. Waymo's expansion extends to its manufacturing facilities as well. In May, the company said it's opening a new, 239,000-square-foot autonomous vehicle factory in the Phoenix area. The plan is to add 2,000 more fully autonomous Jaguar I-Pace vehicles to its existing 1,500-vehicle fleet. Notably, Waymo indicated it received its "final delivery from Jaguar" earlier this year, as it plans for future iterations of its driverless rides. Waymo added that the "facility's flexible design" will allow it to integrate its upcoming sixth-generation self-driving technology into new vehicles, starting with the all-electric Zeekr RT. In October, Waymo also announced that it's partnering with Hyundai to bring the next generation of its technology into Ioniq 5 SUVs. In the years to come, riders will be able to summon those all-electric, autonomous vehicles using the Waymo One app. The self-driving company says it provides more than 250,000 paid trips each week and drives across more than 700 square miles across the US. I've hailed several rides myself in San Francisco and, as off-putting as it can seem at first (especially to see a steering wheel turn by itself), I quickly adjusted, and it soon felt like an ordinary ride. That's not to say there hasn't been pushback as Waymo rolls out to more cities. The company's vehicles have been involved in a handful of high-profile collisions, including one with a bicyclist in San Francisco and another with a towed pickup truck in Phoenix. (Waymo recalled and updated its software to address the issue.) Waymo's Safety Impact report notes that over the course of 71 million autonomous miles driven through March 2025, its Waymo Driver technology had 88% fewer crashes leading to serious injuries or worse and 78% fewer injury-causing crashes, compared with "an average human driver over the same distance in our operating cities." It also reported significantly fewer crashes with injuries to pedestrians (93%), cyclists (81%) and motorcyclists (86%). As Waymo continues to expand and develop its self-driving tech, here's how and where to summon the robotaxi if you happen to be in one of the few cities where the company currently operates its fleet. Now Playing: Testing Waymo's Safe Exit Feature in a Self-Driving Taxi 05:29 Hailing a ride in Phoenix Phoenix was the first city to open up fully autonomous Waymo rides to the public, in 2020. To hail a ride, download the Waymo One app on iOS or Android. The service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also use the Uber app to summon one of Waymo's vehicles in Phoenix. When you request an UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort or Uber Comfort Electric ride, you'll have the choice to confirm a Waymo ride, if you're matched. In addition to hailing a ride, you may also have your Uber Eats meal delivered by an autonomous car. When placing an order in the Phoenix area, you might get a note that "autonomous vehicles may deliver your order." When the Waymo car arrives, take your phone with you to pop open the trunk and grab your delivery. You can opt out of this during checkout if you'd rather have a human deliver your food. Hailing a ride in the San Francisco Bay Area San Francisco followed suit after Phoenix, rolling out fully autonomous rides in late 2022. It scrapped the waiting list in June 2024, so now anyone can download the Waymo One app to ride anytime. The service also operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There's currently no Uber partnership in San Francisco. In August 2024, Waymo expanded its ride-hailing service into the San Francisco Peninsula, and expanded again in March so that select Waymo One riders who live in Mountain View, Los Altos, Palo Alto and parts of Sunnyvale have the option to hail a robotaxi there, too. In June, it expanded further into the Peninsula, and its service area now includes Brisbane, South San Francisco, San Bruno, Millbrae, Burlingame, Daly City, Broadmoor and Colma. Select riders can now also access Mountain View and more parts of Palo Alto and Menlo Park. In May, the California Public Utilities Commission approved Waymo's application to operate in South Bay and nearly all of San Jose, opening up the door to future expansions. Hailing a ride in Los Angeles County In November, Waymo scrapped its waitlist for Los Angeles and began welcoming all public riders via the Waymo One app. Now any interested passengers can hop in the robotaxis 24/7 and ride across nearly 120 square miles of LA County, including Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Inglewood, Silver Lake, Playa del Rey, Ladera Heights, Echo Park and Downtown LA, and along all of Sunset Boulevard. There's currently no Uber partnership in Los Angeles. Hailing a ride in Austin Riders can hail a Waymo across 90 square miles of Austin, including neighborhoods like Crestview, Windsor Park and Franklin Park and locations like The Domain and McKinney Falls State Park. There are more than 100 Waymo vehicles in the city, with plans for further expansion. In Austin, the only way to hail a Waymo ride is through Uber -- no Waymo One app here. By requesting an UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort or Uber Comfort Electric, you could be matched with a Waymo vehicle -- and you won't be upcharged. If you'd rather not take a driverless ride, you'll have the option to switch to a standard one. On the other hand, if you want to boost your chances of being matched to a self-driving car, you can go to Account > Settings > Autonomous vehicles, then hit the toggle next to Get more Waymo rides. Unlock the door, pop open the trunk and start the ride from the Uber app. You'll still be asked to rate your ride at the end, but you won't be asked to tip. If there are any issues, riders can access human support 24/7 via the Uber app and from inside the Waymo vehicle (there are screens in the front and back that let you quickly summon customer support). As part of the Uber partnership, Uber will manage tasks like vehicle cleaning and repair, while "Waymo will continue to be responsible for the testing and operation of the Waymo Driver, including roadside assistance and certain rider support functions," the companies said. The collaboration should make autonomous rides accessible to more people, who now won't have to download a separate app to hitch a ride in a robotaxi. Hailing a ride in Atlanta Waymo operates across 65 square miles of Atlanta, with plans for future expansions. Like in Austin, you can climb aboard a Waymo robotaxi only via the Uber app. When you book a ride through UberX, Uber Comfort or Uber Comfort Electric, you might be paired with a Waymo vehicle at no additional cost. You'll have the option to accept or decline the driverless ride each time. You can unlock the vehicle, pop the trunk and start the trip all from the Uber app, and you can access human support 24/7 via the Uber app and from touchscreens inside the vehicle. If you want to boost your chances of being paired with a Waymo vehicle, you can opt in by going to the Uber app, tapping Account > Settings > Autonomous vehicles (under Ride Preferences), and then hitting the toggle next to Get more Waymo rides. Upcoming expansions Dallas Waymo is currently conducting early testing in Dallas, with plans to launch public rides via the Waymo One app next year. The company is teaming up with Avis Budget Group, which will manage the fleet, including vehicle cleaning and maintenance. "Our partnership with Waymo marks a pivotal milestone in our evolution, from a rental car company to a leading provider of fleet management, infrastructure and operations to the broader mobility ecosystem," Avis Budget Group CEO Brian Choi said in a statement. "Together, we're committed to making scaled autonomous mobility a reality for the people of Dallas, with plans to expand to additional cities in the near future." New York City In June, Waymo shared plans to bring its autonomous tech back to New York City, after having first manually operated its vehicles there in 2021. It'll once again start by driving manually in the Big Apple, as it waits to hear about its permit application with the New York City Department of Transportation to operate autonomously with a human behind the wheel. Waymo is not yet expanding its ride-hailing service to New York City, but says it plans to do so in the future. Existing laws in the state of New York don't permit the same fully autonomous ride-hailing service that companies like Waymo offer in other parts of the country. Waymo says it's "advocating for a change in state law that would allow for operating a vehicle with no human behind the wheel," adding, "we have every intention of bringing our fully autonomous ride-hailing service to the city in the future." In early July, Waymo began manually operating its vehicles in Manhattan, parts of Downtown Brooklyn, Jersey City and Hoboken. If NYCDOT grants the company's permit, Waymo says it'll drive autonomously with a specialist behind the wheel in New York City, but not in New Jersey. Philadelphia Waymo said in July that it's bringing a limited fleet of its vehicles to "the most complex parts" of Philadelphia, "including downtown and freeways." These vehicles will have human drivers behind the wheel as the company continues to develop its driving capabilities. There are no immediate plans to launch a robotaxi service there. Washington, DC Waymo plans to start offering rides through its Waymo One app in Washington, DC, in 2026. The company returned to the nation's capital in January to test its autonomous driving tech. In late March, it said it was bringing more vehicles to the city and working to scale its service throughout the year. In a blog post, Waymo said it'll "continue to work closely with policymakers to formalize the regulations needed to operate without a human behind the wheel in the District." Miami You'll also have to wait until 2026 to ride a Waymo in Miami. The company has been conducting weather testing in the lead-up to that eventual rollout, noting in a blog post, "Our previous road trips to the Sunshine State's challenging rainy conditions have been invaluable in advancing our autonomous driving capabilities." Waymo will collaborate with Moove, a fintech company that offers vehicle financing, first in Phoenix, where Moove will manage the robotaxi's fleet operations, facilities and charging infrastructure. In Phoenix and then Miami, "Waymo will continue to offer our service through the Waymo One app, and remain responsible for validation and operation of the Waymo Driver," the company said in a blog post. Tokyo Waymo's expansion into Tokyo, which was announced in December, is happening in partnership with Japanese taxi service Nihon Kotsu and taxi app Go. In April, the self-driving company shared that it's finally ready to hit the road abroad. Waymo says trained Nihon Kotsu drivers will manually drive its vehicles across seven Tokyo wards, including Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa and Kōtō. This will allow engineers to test and adapt Waymo's autonomous driving tech to local road features and traffic. "In Tokyo, we are abiding by the same steadfast principles that guide us in the US -- commitment to safety, dedication to earning trust in communities where we operate, and collaboration with local officials and community groups here in Tokyo," Nicole Gavel, Waymo's head of business development and strategic partnerships, said in a statement. It's not clear when riders will be able to hitch a self-driving ride with Waymo in Tokyo. The road ahead: Future vehicles In August, Waymo unveiled the sixth generation of its self-driving technology, which strives to expand the capabilities of its driverless fleet. Smarter sensors are meant to help the cars better navigate in extreme weather, Waymo said. The sixth-gen Driver will come aboard the all-electric Zeekr vehicle, which features a flat floor, more head- and legroom, adjustable seats and a removable steering wheel and pedals. The updated tech is still being tested, but the company says it'll be available to riders soon. In October, Waymo also announced a partnership with Hyundai to integrate its sixth-generation Driver into the all-electric Ioniq 5 SUV, which, according to a blog post, "will be added to the Waymo One fleet over time." The companies added that they "plan to produce a fleet of Ioniq 5s equipped with Waymo's technology in significant volume over multiple years to support Waymo One's growing scale." Testing with these vehicles will start by late 2025 and become available "in the years to follow." Currently, everyday riders can't take a Waymo vehicle on highways and freeways, but that may soon change. The company is testing fully autonomous rides on freeways in Phoenix, as seen in an exclusive video shared with CNET in May. It's also now making fully autonomous freeway rides available to Waymo employees in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. Waymo is working to expand its autonomous driving tech into trucking as well, but it said last year that it's scaling back those efforts for the time being, to focus on ride-hailing with Waymo One. It noted, "Our ongoing investment in advancing Waymo Driver capabilities, especially on freeways, will directly translate to trucking and benefit its development efforts."
India Today
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- India Today
Google Waymo will let teens ride solo, betting parents trust its robotaxis
Waymo is expanding its autonomous vehicle service by introducing teen accounts in Phoenix, allowing teenagers aged 14-17 to ride independently in its robotaxis. The move marks a significant shift in Waymo's service offerings, as previously, unaccompanied minors under 18 were not permitted to use its services. The company believes that parents will trust its technology to safely transport their children alone, despite the existing terms of service that bar unaccompanied minors. This new initiative is a strategic bet by Waymo to gain the trust of families in the Phoenix area. advertisementMuch like Uber's earlier decision to allow teenagers to use its service independently, Waymo's teen accounts come equipped with several safeguards. Parents can invite their teenagers to join the programme via their own Waymo One account, ensuring both accounts are linked. Teens are also able to share their real-time location with their parents during rides, and "specially trained" remote operators are on standby to assist during the trips. This layered approach aims to provide peace of mind to parents, allowing them to monitor and ensure the safety of their children while they utilise Waymo's services. The service, which has been in testing for months, is now being rolled out across Phoenix, although plans for expansion to other markets remain timing could prove advantageous given the current trends in teen transportation habits. Studies have indicated a decline in the number of teenagers obtaining driver's licences, with many opting for alternatives like public transport, ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft, or other shared mobility options. This generational shift is something Waymo is keen to tap into, as parents increasingly look for convenient and reliable transport solutions for their teenagers. However, the risks involved remain pertinent. Waymo's vehicles occasionally struggle with certain traffic patterns and have been involved in minor accidents. Despite this, the company argues that its autonomous cars perform better in avoiding crashes than human drivers, underscoring the importance of its remote operators in ensuring safety for younger passengers. The rollout of teen accounts follows earlier reports by security researcher Jane Manchun Wong, who highlighted Waymo's experiments with this feature. Wong's findings, which also uncovered Waymo's "tipping" donation feature, were part of a broader discovery of Waymo's plans. Last year, Waymo conducted a survey to determine customer preferences for teen accounts, highlighting benefits such as the absence of strangers in vehicles, reduced risk of distracted driving, and flexible scheduling. Although there were suggestions for aesthetic upgrades like snacks or karaoke within the cars, these features did not make it into the final product. Waymo's introduction of teen accounts is a clear indication of the company's ambition to broaden its customer base and adapt to modern transportation needs. By offering a service tailored to teenagers and their parents, Waymo is aligning itself with contemporary transport trends and addressing the growing demand for flexible, safe, and parent-supervised travel options. As the service becomes more established in Phoenix, it could set a precedent for similar features in other Waymo markets, depending on its success and acceptance among local families.- Ends
The Verge
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Verge
Waymo introduces teen accounts for the first time in Phoenix
Waymo is opening up its robotaxi service to younger riders with the launch of teen accounts in Phoenix. Teenagers aged 14–17 can now sign up for an account on Waymo One, the company's ridehail service. The account will be linked to their parent or guardian, but approved teens will be allowed to ride independently without an adult. Waymo's current terms of service bar unaccompanied minors under 18 from using its robotaxis — even though some parents in San Francisco have already been sending their kids to ride solo in Waymos for some time. It's a big bet by the company that parents will trust its driverless cars enough to send their children alone to ride in them. In some ways, the move mirrors Uber's decision a few years ago to allow teens to start using its service without their parents. As such, there are a number of safeguards in place to allow parents to keep track of their children. Adult customers can use their own Waymo One account to invite their teen into the program, pairing their accounts together. Teens can also share their real-time location with their parents while they're riding. And 'specially trained' remote operators will be available to assist during the rides — and may even loop in the teen's parents if necessary. Waymo has been testing teen accounts with a select group of riders for months now, and is now rolling it out to the broader Phoenix area. The company didn't say if or when it plans on rolling out the service in its other markets. Security researcher and tech sleuth Jane Manchun Wong was the first to report on Waymo's experimentations, posting a screenshot of a teen account landing page back in March. (Wong was also the first to report Waymo's 'tipping' donation feature, and its idea to use footage from its interior cameras to train generative AI.) The company also sent out a survey last year asking its customers what they would want from teen accounts. The survey noted a number of advantages, including no strangers in the vehicles, no distracted driving, and flexible scheduling. Waymo also mentioned a number of aesthetic upgrades, like snacks, karaoke, or teen-styled graphics — though none of those suggestions seem to have made through to the final product. Waymo provided a number of supportive quotes from its teen riders who have been testing the service. And with the share of teenagers with driver's licenses dropping, Waymo's timing could be particularly ripe. Gen Z is more likely to ride public transit, use Uber or Lyft, or hop on an e-bike or shared scooter than drive a car, recent studies have shown. And parents, increasingly stressed out by all their kids' obligations, are looking for an extra hand in transportation. Of course, the risks are also present. Waymo still struggles occasionally with certain traffic patterns, and its vehicles do sometimes get in minor fender benders. The company says the data proves that its self-driving cars are better at avoiding crashes and injuries than human drivers. But younger riders could be less adept at navigating certain situations than adults — which makes its remote operators even more important.
Miami Herald
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Tesla has late start in a crucial race for its future
Robotaxis are coming to a city street near you, whether you like it or not. According to recent surveys, the majority of Americans are not very fond of autonomous 4,000-pound vehicles ambling down their streets. "Consumers are skeptical of the full self-driving (FSD) technology that undergirds the robotaxi proposition, with 60% considering Tesla's full self-driving 'unsafe,' 77% unwilling to utilize full self-driving technology, and a substantial share (48%) believing full self-driving should be illegal," according to the May 2025 edition of the Electric Vehicle Intelligence Report (EVIR). Related: Tesla makes surprising admission about its robotaxi But not every robotaxi is operated by Tesla. Even though it's the most high-profile robotaxi operator, Tesla is actually late to the autonomous-driving party. There are companies, both in America and abroad, with millions of miles and thousands of hours under their belts. When Ford CEO Jim Farley recently said that U.S. tech companies passed on becoming carmakers, he was not technically correct. While they don't plan to enter the industry in a way that would be threatening to a company like Ford, Alphabet's (GOOGL) Waymo is the Silicon Valley giant's biggest bite at the apple. Waymo One users register over a quarter of a million paid weekly trips across Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin, with plans to expand to Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, D.C., in 2026. Waymo's current fleet features over 1,500 vehicles spread across its four current host cities, but by next year, it expects to more than double its fleet with more than 2,000 new additions. The company is relying on a new, 239,000-square-foot factory outside Phoenix in Mesa, Arizona, to integrate thousands of Jaguar I-PACE vehicles with Waymo's fully autonomous technology. The factory is a joint venture between Waymo and mobile tech company Magna International. Image source: Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images Amazon acquired the autonomous vehicle company Zoox in 2020. And for over a decade, Zoox has been building an autonomous vehicle designed to stand out from others on the road. There's a reason the rectangular glass-paneled Zoox robotaxi looks so weird. Besides the vehicles' lack of steering wheels, perhaps the most interesting Zoox feature is its two-engine design. Zoox calls its vehicles bidirectional, meaning there is no forward or reverse, because both directions are forward. The two motors at different ends of the car allow it to drive forward in two directions. Unlike Tesla (TSLA) , which has said it doesn't use the technology because it's too expensive, both Waymo and Zoox utilize light detection and ranging (LiDAR) to navigate traffic autonomously. Related: Elon Musk's robotaxi has a serious problem LiDAR uses lasers to measure distances and create highly detailed 3D models of its surroundings. Zoox uses this tech, along with cameras, radar, long-wave infrared sensors, and microphones, to map the traffic around it. Morgan Stanley says Zoox is still a couple of years behind Waymo, as Waymo is already in more than five cities, while Zoox is still in just two. But Morgan Stanley sees the company taking a similar route as its more established rival as production ramps up for the company. Currently, Zoox has only a few dozen purpose-built robotaxis on the road, and the Hayward facility produces only one vehicle per day. Still, the firm expects that number to increase exponentially as it expands to more cities. Zoox has over one million miles driven in company. Morgan Stanley expects Zoox to launch in Las Vegas and San Francisco by the end of the year. Tesla robotaxi launched in Austin, Texas, in late June, to much fanfare. Tesla has just 10 robotaxis on the street in Austin. It also has ambitions to expand to different locales, but its debut has gotten off to a rocky start. Multiple videos have appeared on social media showing the vehicles failing to achieve the basic road competence of a student driver. Tesla Robotaxi may not have the miles under its belt that its competition does, but it does have a scale advantage. Earlier this year, Tesla said that its FSD system has driven a cumulative total of 3.6 billion miles, nearly triple the 1.3 billion cumulative miles it reported a year ago. Related: Latest Waymo setback raises serious questions about its future The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
