Waymo, the Alphabet-owned autonomous vehicle company, is preparing to launch its robotaxi service in Miami. The company announced on Thursday that it will begin testing its self-driving vehicles in the city with human safety drivers in 2025, with plans to open its fully autonomous ride-hailing service to the public by 2026 via the Waymo One app.
This move highlights Waymo’s growing confidence in operating its autonomous vehicles in challenging weather conditions, a significant milestone for scaling its operations in major metropolitan areas across the U.S.
Building Expertise in Adverse Weather
Waymo’s decision to target Miami follows earlier testing in the city in 2019, during which the company focused on refining its vehicles’ ability to handle wet and rainy conditions.
“We deepened our learning and understanding of the Waymo Driver’s performance in adverse weather conditions,” a spokesperson for the company said.
When Waymo resumes operations in Miami in 2025, it will deploy its all-electric Jaguar I-PACE fleet. The initial service territory will encompass select parts of Miami’s larger metropolitan area, home to over 6 million people.
Recent Expansion and Strategic Partnerships
Waymo’s Miami plans come amid rapid nationwide growth. In November, the company removed its waitlist of 300,000 people in Los Angeles, making its robotaxi service available to all across nearly 80 square miles. It also operates citywide in Phoenix and San Francisco, offering more than 150,000 paid rides weekly through the Waymo One app.
In September, Waymo partnered with Uber in Austin and Atlanta to integrate its robotaxis into the Uber app starting in 2025. Uber will oversee fleet management and vehicle maintenance under the partnership.
Waymo also announced a new collaboration with mobility company Moove, which will handle fleet operations, charging, and facilities for Waymo vehicles in Miami and Phoenix. Moove will begin managing Waymo’s Phoenix fleet in early 2025.
Funding and Competition
Waymo secured $5.6 billion in funding in October, led by parent company Alphabet and backed by investors like Andreessen Horowitz, Fidelity, and Silver Lake. These funds are driving the company’s expansion across the U.S.
While Waymo leads in commercial robotaxi operations across multiple cities, competition is intensifying.
- Cruise (owned by GM) is working to resume services after halting operations following a pedestrian-injury accident in San Francisco.
- Tesla plans to launch a self-driving ride-hailing service by 2025 but still classifies its current Full Self-Driving system as partially automated.
- Amazon-owned Zoox and SoftBank-backed Wayve are testing autonomous vehicles, with Zoox focusing on cars without steering wheels.
What’s Next for Waymo
With Miami as its next target, Waymo continues to solidify its position as a leader in autonomous transportation. The company’s expansion underscores its ambition to operate in diverse environments, making robotaxis a reliable and accessible mode of transportation for millions across the U.S.