Waymo is ramping up its U.S. expansion, confirming this week plans to begin operations in both Chicago and Charlotte.
In an update shared on Wednesday, the company says it has already started deploying vehicles in Chicago — though for now, they are being driven by trained human drivers. According to Waymo, the vehicles are collecting mapping data and evaluating local driving conditions “to lay the early groundwork for operations in Chicago.”
“We are excited to begin laying the early groundwork for our ride-hailing operations in Chicago, and look forward to serving the city in the future,” the company wrote on its blog.
Waymo says its initial efforts in Chicago involve roughly 10 vehicles operating in select parts of the city. Fully autonomous robotaxi service is not yet permitted in Illinois, and city officials confirmed they were notified in advance that no driverless operations would take place.
At the same time, lawmakers are actively debating autonomous vehicle legislation. State Rep. Kam Buckner has introduced a bill that would create a pilot program for self-driving vehicles in Cook County and other regions.
“This progress is a vital step toward safer streets and more accessible transportation for all our neighborhoods,” Buckner said in a statement released by Waymo.
The company continues to emphasize its safety record, claiming the Waymo Driver has been involved in 10 times fewer serious injury crashes and 12 times fewer pedestrian injury crashes than human drivers in cities where it operates, including Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, and Atlanta.
While Illinois is still debating its regulatory framework, North Carolina cleared the way for autonomous vehicles nearly a decade ago. In 2017, the state passed legislation allowing fully autonomous vehicles on public roads once deemed ready and established a Fully Autonomous Vehicle Committee to oversee implementation.
Waymo confirmed Wednesday that Charlotte will be its next expansion city.
“Charlotte blends its historic charm with North Carolina’s economic dynamism. Uptown – the city’s sports hub – is surrounded by vibrant neighborhoods, from South End with its breweries and restaurants to the arts of NoDa. The Queen City is constantly redefining itself, and it’s this same forward-looking culture that makes us thrilled to announce Waymo’s intention to bring our safe, magic, fully autonomous ride-hailing to Charlotte, North Carolina.”
Waymo says it has driven more than 200 million miles fully autonomously and completed over 20 million driverless rides, currently providing more than 400,000 fully autonomous trips per week.
