Waymo Announces Robotaxis Will Drive Freeways for the First Time

Alphabet’s Waymo is expanding its autonomous vehicle service by introducing robotaxi rides that operate on freeways in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.

This marks the first time the company’s self-driving cars will navigate highways, offering early-access users quicker and more efficient trips when freeway routes provide meaningful time savings.

Waymo, a pioneer in the self-driving industry, already operates in parts of the San Francisco Bay Area and is extending its reach to San Jose, including Mineta San Jose International Airport, its second airport location after Phoenix Sky Harbor.

The move comes amid growing competition in the autonomous vehicle space, with Tesla expanding its robotaxi services featuring safety drivers and monitors, and Amazon-backed Zoox offering free rides around the Las Vegas Strip.

Notably, Waymo remains the only company in the US running a paid robotaxi service without safety drivers or in-vehicle monitors, operating a fleet of 2,500 vehicles.

Since launching paid rides in Phoenix in 2020, about 11 years after its inception as Google’s self-driving car project, Waymo has steadily grown despite facing federal investigations related to unexpected driving behaviors.

While freeway driving is generally less complex than city navigation, it introduces new challenges such as managing high-speed merges and exits.

Mistakes on highways can have severe consequences, prompting Waymo to develop new freeway protocols in collaboration with local highway patrols and safety agencies.

This advancement positions Waymo as the first company to offer fully driverless rides on freeways, differentiating it from Tesla’s driver-assist features.

The freeway expansion reflects Waymo’s ongoing commitment to scaling autonomous technology safely and efficiently in increasingly complex environments.