Waymo has taken another step in expanding its robotaxi network, confirming it has begun testing fully driverless vehicles in Nashville, Tennessee. The shift to driverless testing comes after months of preparation and puts the company closer to launching a commercial ride-hailing service in the city later this year.
Until now, Waymo vehicles in Nashville have had human safety drivers. After a few months of testing, those human drivers are being removed from the autonomous test vehicles, allowing the company’s self-driving Jaguar I-PACE robotaxis to operate entirely on their own within designated areas.
This phase typically represents the final stage of testing before public access begins, and Waymo is expected to gradually introduce paid rides once the system demonstrates consistent performance.
Waymo’s Nashville rollout will initially focus on smaller, geofenced service areas, with expansion planned over time as its vehicles continue collecting real-world driving data. Early access will likely be limited, with rides first available through the Waymo app.
The company also plans to integrate the service into Lyft’s platform, leveraging its partnership with the ride-hailing giant. Lyft will support operations through its Flexdrive subsidiary, handling logistics such as vehicle maintenance, charging, and fleet readiness.
The company has followed a consistent deployment strategy in each new market. It begins by manually driving vehicles through the city to create detailed maps, followed by autonomous testing with a human safety operator present. Once confidence in the system improves, safety drivers are removed, and employee ride access begins before eventually opening the service to the public.
Nashville becomes the latest addition to Waymo’s rapidly expanding footprint. The company already operates commercial robotaxi services in major U.S. cities including Phoenix, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta, Austin, and San Francisco, while maintaining driverless test fleets in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando.
Across its network, Waymo now operates more than 2,500 vehicles and is completing over 100,000 paid robotaxi trips each week.
Waymo’s expansion has been fueled by significant financial backing. The company recently secured $16 billion in new funding, giving it an estimated valuation of $126 billion and providing substantial resources to scale its robotaxi service nationwide.
Autonomous mode activated, now in Nashville. ✨We’re going fully autonomous—meaning no human driver at the wheel, and one step closer to serving riders. Get updates at https://t.co/FpAUnlDkCm pic.twitter.com/VSG5nHenuW
— Waymo (@Waymo) February 9, 2026
