Waymo has expanded its robotaxi service to the general public in Los Angeles, allowing anyone with the Waymo One smartphone app to request a ride within an 80-square-mile territory. This move marks a significant milestone in the development of self-driving car technology, tracing back to Waymo's origins as a secretive project at Google 15 years ago.
After receiving approval from California regulators to charge for rides over a year ago, Waymo initially launched its operations in San Francisco before extending services to Los Angeles. The company has been steadily increasing its presence in the autonomous vehicle industry, with successful operations in Phoenix since 2020.
Waymo's robotaxi service has gained traction, with over 150,000 weekly trips being transported. This success led to recent funding of $5.6 billion from Alphabet and other investors, indicating growing confidence in the company's autonomous driving capabilities.
Despite its progress, Waymo is reportedly still operating at a loss within Alphabet's 'Other Bets' division. However, the company's safety record is commendable, having driven over 20 million fully autonomous miles and provided more than 2 million rides without any serious accidents.
On the competition front, Tesla is aiming to launch a rival 'Cybercab' service by 2026, potentially entering the robotaxi market. However, skepticism surrounds Tesla's timeline due to past unfulfilled promises regarding self-driving technology.
Another player in the autonomous vehicle space, Cruise, faced setbacks when its California license was suspended following an incident involving a pedestrian. Cruise is now collaborating with Uber to reintroduce its services in undisclosed U.S. cities.
Amazon's Zoox is also gearing up to offer driverless rides to the public, starting in Las Vegas next year before expanding to San Francisco. Waymo's strategic alliances with Uber for services in Atlanta and Austin further solidify its position as a leader in the evolving robotaxi industry.
