Expansion of Waymo Rides Services Reaches Los Angeles and San Francisco, New York City to Follow
Waymo Expands Autonomous Ride-Hailing Service in Los Angeles and New York City
Waymo, the self-driving car subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., is expanding its autonomous ride-hailing service in several U.S. cities, including Los Angeles and New York City. However, it's important to note that the service does not include the city's international airports.
In Los Angeles, Waymo's vehicles can now travel the full length of Sunset Boulevard. The expansion does not cover Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), though. Similarly, in San Francisco, the service area includes the full stretch of Sunset Boulevard, but not San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
In New York City, Waymo is currently testing its self-driving robotaxi service as part of its "Road Trip" tour. A small fleet of vehicles, aided by human specialists, is operating in NYC to map the city for potential future expansion and to improve their autonomous driving systems. However, these vehicles are not yet available for public ride-hailing in NYC during this testing phase.
Specifically, Waymo is driving manually with safety drivers on board in Manhattan—from just north of Central Park down to The Battery—and parts of Downtown Brooklyn. The purpose is to collect detailed mapping data and test autonomous capabilities, not to launch a commercial service at this time.
Waymo has applied for a permit with the New York State Department of Transportation to operate autonomous vehicles, initially with human specialists behind the wheel. The company is advocating for state-level policy changes that would allow it to offer fully driverless service in New York in the future.
The public autonomous ride-hailing service in NYC remains planned for the future but is not active as of mid-2025. Waymo's long-term strategy includes growing its fleet and reaching more riders. As of May 2025, the company has logged 10 million paid autonomous rides, with 250,000 rides completed every week across its four U.S. markets.
Meanwhile, Tesla is set to launch its Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, on June 22. Tesla's approach for its Robotaxi service leans entirely on vision-based tech and its Full Self-Driving software.
Waymo's expansion in California now covers a total of 250 square miles, and the expansion in both Los Angeles and San Francisco covers a combined 80 square miles. The company has announced plans to return to New York City next month, with future plans to serve New Yorkers. The service in Los Angeles now includes Playa del Rey, Ladera Heights, Echo Park, Silver Lake, and various other neighborhoods.
It's worth noting that the expansion in both San Francisco and Los Angeles is geofenced, meaning certain areas like airports are excluded from the service. Regulatory approval and safety checks are still pending for the launch date in both cities. Waymo is eager to continue expanding its autonomous ride-hailing service to more cities in the future.
The expansion of Waymo's autonomous ride-hailing service in Los Angeles and New York City follows the company's foray into finance, as it anticipates increased revenue from the growing market. Waymo's strategic industry partnerships could pave the way for potential collaborations in technology and transportation, particularly with the integration of autonomous vehicles in urban mobility.
