Waymo Expands to 4 New U.S. Cities, Leading Tesla and Zoox in Robotaxi Race

Waymo, the self-driving taxi company under Alphabet (GOOGL-US), announced it will roll out fully autonomous ride-hailing services in four U.S. cities—San Diego, Las Vegas, Tampa in Florida, and Denver—over the coming weeks, accelerating its nationwide expansion and further solidifying its leading position in the robotaxi market.

Waymo stated that the new services will initially be available to Alphabet employees for testing, before gradually opening access to the general public.

Waymo had already announced this expansion plan in 2025 and currently operates autonomous vehicle fleets in over 10 U.S. cities, making it one of the largest robotaxi operators in the United States.

Meanwhile, Tesla (TSLA-US) and Zoox, owned by Amazon (AMZN-US), are also actively expanding their robotaxi footprints in an effort to close the gap with Waymo.

Zoox plans to launch its robotaxi service to select users in Austin, Texas, and Miami, Florida, later this year. Tesla, after initiating robotaxi testing in Austin, is now expanding its services to other cities in Texas and into Miami.

According to data submitted by Waymo to U.S. automotive safety regulators, the company had deployed approximately 4,000 robotaxis across the U.S. by May of this year, equipped with fifth- and sixth-generation autonomous driving systems—making it one of the largest commercial self-driving fleets in the nation.

In recent years, Waymo has been accelerating its commercialization efforts. In February 2025, the company raised $16 billion in funding, primarily from its parent Alphabet and other investors, to be used for fleet expansion, technology development, and entry into new markets.

Waymo also plans to officially enter London, UK, later this year, marking its first international market and signaling the global expansion of its self-driving taxi operations.

Official figures show that Waymo has completed over 20 million fully autonomous passenger rides to date, with a goal of reaching one million weekly rides by the end of 2025.

However, as its fleet rapidly expands, Waymo has recently faced increasing operational challenges.

During recent extreme weather events, some Waymo vehicles mistakenly entered flooded road sections. Additionally, during U.S. Independence Day celebrations, multiple Waymo vehicles in San Francisco became immobilized due to prolonged traffic congestion, eventually running out of battery power. Some vehicles were also filmed entering areas where fireworks were being launched, sparking public debate over the adaptability of autonomous driving systems.

Despite these challenges, Waymo remains one of the most commercially advanced autonomous taxi operators globally. As its service coverage, fleet size, and passenger volume continue to grow, the market expects an intensifying robotaxi battle between Waymo, Tesla, and Zoox.