Waymo is expanding its self-driving taxi service to four more cities across the United States, including Philadelphia, where testing has already begun under the supervision of human safety monitors. The ride-sharing giant plans to roll out manual tests in Baltimore, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh next, laying the groundwork for the introduction of fully autonomous vehicles.
After conducting initial supervisory and data-gathering stages, Waymo aims to launch its robotaxi service in multiple new cities across Texas and Florida by 2026. Currently, the company's taxis are operating in select locations such as Los Angeles, Phoenix, Atlanta, Austin, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Several other cities, including San Diego, Las Vegas, Detroit, and New York City, have also been announced to join the fleet in the near future.
The expansion of Waymo's robotaxi service is contingent on overcoming regulatory hurdles in some states, with New York state currently prohibiting the operation of vehicles without a driver. However, the company secured a temporary permit last August to test autonomous vehicles in parts of Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn until September. This temporary approval marked a significant milestone for Waymo in its efforts to deploy self-driving cars in major US cities.
In addition to its domestic ambitions, Waymo is set to partner with Moove to launch a robotaxi service in London next year, marking the company's first major expansion outside the United States. While fully driverless cars are currently banned in the UK, new legislation will facilitate the introduction of robotaxi pilots in the spring, paving the way for the long-awaited deployment of autonomous vehicles in the British capital.
After conducting initial supervisory and data-gathering stages, Waymo aims to launch its robotaxi service in multiple new cities across Texas and Florida by 2026. Currently, the company's taxis are operating in select locations such as Los Angeles, Phoenix, Atlanta, Austin, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Several other cities, including San Diego, Las Vegas, Detroit, and New York City, have also been announced to join the fleet in the near future.
The expansion of Waymo's robotaxi service is contingent on overcoming regulatory hurdles in some states, with New York state currently prohibiting the operation of vehicles without a driver. However, the company secured a temporary permit last August to test autonomous vehicles in parts of Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn until September. This temporary approval marked a significant milestone for Waymo in its efforts to deploy self-driving cars in major US cities.
In addition to its domestic ambitions, Waymo is set to partner with Moove to launch a robotaxi service in London next year, marking the company's first major expansion outside the United States. While fully driverless cars are currently banned in the UK, new legislation will facilitate the introduction of robotaxi pilots in the spring, paving the way for the long-awaited deployment of autonomous vehicles in the British capital.