Waymo has officially launched its robotaxi service in Denver, San Diego, and Tampa, marking the expansion of the Alphabet-owned company’s commercial operations to a total of 14 cities across the United States.
On Tuesday, the company announced the gradual rollout of invitations for riders, increasing access in these three new locations, consistent with its standard commercial strategy. This expansion has also boosted Waymo’s fleet, which now includes over 4,000 self-driving vehicles, featuring Jaguar I-Pace hatchbacks and a new minivan model called the Ojai.
The introduction of services in these cities coincides with Tesla’s efforts to gain a competitive edge in the robotaxi sector. Tesla currently offers rides in its autonomous Model Y vehicles across Austin, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Orlando, and Tampa. Although the service availability is limited in certain areas, the company continues to grow its fleet and expand services within these markets. Additionally, Tesla is developing its Cybercab, a specially designed two-seater vehicle devoid of a steering wheel or pedals, to enhance its efforts.
Waymo’s recent announcement underscores an aggressive expansion strategy that began approximately 18 months ago, solidifying its status as a leader in the U.S. robotaxi market. The company had been running a robotaxi service in Phoenix for several years before it gained the necessary permits in August 2023 to operate and charge for driverless rides in San Francisco.
As Waymo expanded its Bay Area services—first reaching all surface streets, then the neighboring areas, and ultimately the connecting freeways—it set sights on Los Angeles for a 2024 launch.
However, it was not until March 2025, when Waymo began offering robotaxi services to riders in Austin via a partnership with Uber, that its growth trajectory accelerated. Since that milestone, the company has successfully established commercial robotaxi services in seven additional cities, including Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Nashville, Orlando, and San Antonio.
The pace of Waymo’s expansion remains brisk. Just last month, the Nevada Transportation Authority granted a permit permitting Waymo to deploy up to 1,000 autonomous vehicles in Clark County over the coming year, which encompasses Las Vegas. Tesla and Uber also received permits from the agency. Moreover, Waymo’s expansion isn’t confined to the U.S.; plans are in place for launching robotaxi services in both London and Munich.
Waymo typically follows a consistent approach with each new market: it starts by mapping and testing its autonomous technology, then removes human safety operators, and eventually opens the service to employees, media, and other select individuals. The timeline for making its services available to paying passengers often depends on local regulations, as some states, like California, require permits from multiple agencies to deploy driverless vehicles and charge for rides.
The launch of Waymo’s services in Denver, San Diego, and Tampa adheres to a similar model. A notable distinction, however, is that in Denver and San Diego, only Waymo’s next-generation robotaxi—the Ojai, a minivan produced by Zeekr—will be available to riders.
The Ojai, pronounced “oh-hi,” is equipped with Waymo’s sixth-generation self-driving technology and is designed to be more cost-effective in terms of production, operation, and maintenance. Currently, the Ojai fleet consists of about 300 vehicles, which is relatively small compared to the Jaguar I-Pace fleet, but this number is expected to grow quickly as Waymo aims for both growth and profitability.
