Waymo has launched its driverless ride-hailing service, Waymo One, for employees in Austin, Texas.
Starting Wednesday, Waymo’s autonomous vehicles, including the electric Jaguar I-Pace and Chrysler Pacifica robotaxis, are now operating across a 43-square-mile area encompassing key neighborhoods across the city, including downtown Austin.
Waymo’s approach to rolling out its service in Austin is focused on safety, first offering rides to its employees, ensuring a thorough evaluation of the service before opening it to the public. The public can sign up to join the waitlist to be among the first riders to take a Waymo robotaxi in Austin when the service goes public.
This expansion to Austin comes at a time when the autonomous vehicle industry is witnessing varying levels of success and challenges among competitors. While Waymo is expanding its operational footprint, Cruise is experiencing major setbacks, including the recent suspension of its California license following a pedestrian accident.
Waymo has faced its own difficulties, including a recent collision with a cyclist in San Francisco leading to a software recall.
Waymo recently received regulatory approval to expand operations in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
