Alphabet’s self-driving unit Waymo announced on Tuesday that it is expanding its robotaxi operations across more parts of the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles, further cementing its lead as the only commercial robotaxi operator with paying customers in the U.S.
Following a recent greenlight from California regulators, Waymo’s autonomous ride-hailing service will now serve several new cities on the San Francisco Peninsula — including Brisbane, South San Francisco, San Bruno, Millbrae, and Burlingame. In Silicon Valley, it is broadening its reach in Palo Alto and Menlo Park.
In Los Angeles, starting Wednesday, Waymo will operate in:
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Playa del Rey
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Ladera Heights
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Echo Park
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Silver Lake
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The full stretch of Sunset Boulevard
While San Jose is included in the regulatory approval, Waymo has not yet confirmed a launch timeline for service in the city.
Industry Context:
This expansion comes as Tesla prepares to debut its own paid robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, intensifying the competition in autonomous mobility. However, Waymo remains the only player operating at commercial scale — with over 1,500 vehicles completing more than 250,000 rides weekly across San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin.
As the self-driving sector gains momentum, Waymo’s growing footprint highlights the company’s strategy of incremental but steady expansion, banking on regulatory compliance and real-world data to maintain its edge.