Post by : Meena Ariff

Photo: Reuters

Waymo has expanded its robotaxi service by adding 80 more square miles in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Silicon Valley. This brings the total area covered by Waymo's commercial service to over 250 square miles, where driverless Jaguar I-Pace cars now operate in new areas of these busy metro regions.

The expansion comes shortly after several of Waymo’s robotaxis were damaged during protests in Los Angeles over immigration raids. These protests led to the company limiting its services in parts of LA. Despite these setbacks, Waymo is moving ahead with its expansion. The company plans to extend its services to more neighborhoods in Los Angeles, including Playa del Rey, Ladera Heights, Echo Park, Silver Lake, and Sunset Boulevard, starting Wednesday.

Waymo will also serve more towns in the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley, such as Brisbane, South San Francisco, Millbrae, Burlingame, Palo Alto, and Menlo Park, starting Tuesday. This expansion means more people will have access to driverless taxis in these areas.

Waymo’s growth has been impressive, with the company seeing a significant rise in weekly paid trips since June 2024. The company now serves over 250,000 trips a week across San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin. Waymo’s fleet includes more than 400 vehicles in LA and over 600 in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Waymo’s growth is not slowing down, even with recent challenges. The company is committed to adjusting its services based on traffic conditions, special events, and local guidance, continuing to push forward despite recent protests and service limitations.