Waymo Begins Driverless Operations in San Diego, Las Vegas, Tampa, Denver
Alphabet's Waymo announced it will begin fully autonomous driverless operations (no human safety driver) in San Diego, Las Vegas, Tampa, and Denver in the coming weeks. Initial service will be available to Waymo employees, with public rollout expected to follow in the coming months, the company said Wednesday.
Waymo currently operates in 11 U.S. cities and has completed over 20 million autonomous rides. As of May, the company's domestic fleet included about 4,000 robotaxis equipped with fifth- and sixth-generation autonomous driving systems. Denver is significant as Waymo's entry into colder climates; the city receives ~56 inches of seasonal snowfall, requiring winter sensor degradation mitigation that the company trained in the Sierra Nevada and Michigan regions.
The expansion comes amid a sharp competitive race: Amazon's Zoox plans Austin and Miami launches later this year; Tesla is expanding robotaxi service beyond Austin into Miami and other Texas cities. Meanwhile, Waymo has raised $16 billion from Alphabet and others, targets 1 million weekly trips by year-end, and is preparing to launch in London later in 2026.
For infrastructure and insurance partners, the multi-city rollout underscores both the progress and the risk: Waymo's fleet has driven into flooded areas post-storms, and during July 4 celebrations in San Francisco, some vehicles' batteries died in traffic while another drove into fireworks. The expansion tests whether Waymo can maintain safety records as operational scope and foot-traffic density increase.
Sources
- Primary source
- Waymo starts driverless rides in San Diego, Las Vegas, Tampa, Denver
“Waymo will begin rolling out its driverless vehicles in four new cities in the coming weeks, furthering its U.S. expansion. As of May, Waymo's domestic fleet included about 4,000 robotaxis.”
- Waymo is ready to drive in Denver without humans
“Denver receives an average of 56 inches of seasonal snowfall, presenting significant challenges for autonomous vehicle sensors. Driverless cars are growing more reliant on lidar and radar sensors.”