Waymo Expands Driverless Robotaxi Service to More US Cities

Waymo has continued to increase the reach of its autonomous vehicle operations across the United States throughout 2026, adding new markets and expanding its service area. The company’s approach involves both technological upgrades and systematic entry into new cities to support its driverless robotaxi services.

By February 2026, Waymo’s robotaxis were active in 10 US cities, including major locations in Texas and Florida. The company’s expansion process typically starts with manual mapping and data collection to familiarize its systems with local road conditions before testing and launching fully driverless rides.

In early 2026, Waymo secured $16 billion in funding to accelerate its growth into more than 20 additional cities, including planned international deployments in London and Tokyo. As part of this expansion, the company began manual mapping and data collection in Chicago and Charlotte in February 2026 to prepare for future autonomous operations in those markets.

By May 2026, Waymo’s operational area had grown to over 1,400 square miles across 11 US cities, surpassing the land area of Rhode Island. In July 2026, the company launched fully driverless service in Las Vegas, with plans for Denver, San Diego, and Tampa to follow. In Denver, as of August 2026, driverless testing was underway without backup drivers, but rides remained limited to company employees.

What the numbers show

• Waymo’s robotaxi service was active in 10 US cities by February 24, 2026
• The company raised $16 billion for expansion in early February 2026
• Waymo’s service area reached over 1,400 square miles by May 2026
• Fully driverless operations began in Las Vegas in July 2026

Waymo’s technology has evolved alongside its geographic expansion. The company introduced its 6th-generation Driver in February 2026, featuring a multi-modal sensing suite with lidar, radar, and high-resolution cameras. This system is designed to address rare and complex “edge-case” scenarios that can occur during widespread deployment in diverse urban environments.

As Waymo increases its presence in more cities, the company has encountered a greater number of unexpected situations that its systems were not originally programmed to manage. These “edge cases” present ongoing operational challenges as the company adapts its technology to new environments and traffic patterns.

Waymo’s standard entry process for new markets begins with detailed mapping and data gathering, followed by autonomous testing and eventual rollout of driverless rides. This method was used in Chicago and Charlotte in early 2026, and similar steps are being taken in other cities targeted for expansion.

With driverless operations now present in at least 10 metropolitan areas and ongoing expansion into additional US and international markets, Waymo continues to adjust its technology and procedures to address the operational complexities of large-scale autonomous vehicle deployment.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.