From LA to Austin Waymo robotaxis roll on. Next stop: Miami.

Thanks to Waymo, self-driving cars are quickly moving from sci-fi fantasy to real-world mainstay.

The autonomous vehicle company, owned by Alphabet, now has robotaxis cruising the streets of Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin.

Within the US, Waymo plans to begin offering rides in both Washington, DC, and Miami starting in 2026.

In fact, the company’s plans include a bold push into the Japanese market, giving it an international scope.

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Waymo currently operates in five US cities

Back in 2020, Phoenix was the first city to welcome fully autonomous Waymo rides.

Riders can book a car anytime, 24/7, using the Waymo One app, or even hail one via Uber.

Customers may even get their Uber Eats delivered by a driverless car, although they need to be ready to pop the trunk themselves.

The company expanded into San Francisco in late 2022, and the waiting list for the app was scrapped in June 2024, allowing all customers within the city to ride anytime.

While the service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, there is currently no Uber partnership in San Francisco.

Service recently expanded into the San Francisco Peninsula, including parts of Mountain View, Los Altos, and Palo Alto, with plans to expand more over time.

Los Angeles joined the party in late 2023, where customers can summon a self-driving car across nearly 90 square miles, covering spots like Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and Downtown.

Waymo also provides its self-driving cars in Austin, operating across 37 square miles of the city, although riders need to use the Uber app to catch a Waymo.

There is no separate app required, and no extra charge, as riders simply need to toggle their ride preferences to increase their chances of a driverless trip.

Atlanta is the company’s latest expansion, with service scheduled to launch this summer, across 65 square miles of Atlanta.

More advanced driverless technology

Looking ahead, Waymo plans to launch in Washington, DC, and Miami in 2026, where it’s already testing vehicles and prepping for real-world rainy day challenges.

Internationally, Waymo is gearing up for its debut with local taxi giant Nihon Kotsu.

For now, human drivers remain behind the wheel, as Waymo adapts to Japan’s unique traffic rules, but the road is being paved for autonomous rides.

Waymo’s technology is also getting an upgrade, with its six-generation Driver system, which comes with smarter sensors and a sleeker design.

These will be built into all-electric vehicles like the Zeekr and the Hyundai Ioniq 5.

Testing starts in late 2025, with public rides to follow.

And while the company’s driverless cars don’t currently use highways, that’s about to change, with freeway testing underway in Phoenix and Los Angeles.

According to Waymo, the company is giving 200,000 paid rides a week, and touts safety as a top priority.

After some early collisions, the company updated its software and reports that its tech is significantly better at avoiding crashes than human drivers.

Whether you’re hailing a ride to work, or grabbing takeout, your next trip might just be in a car with no driver at all.

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