Waymo's Robotaxis Are Now Available to Everyone in Los Angeles.
There will still be waiting times, although there will be no waiting list.
Waymo has decided to eliminate its waiting list in Los Angeles, similar to what it had previously done in Phoenix and San Francisco. From now on, anyone who downloads the Waymo One app will have access to its fully autonomous vehicles. However, there are some geographic limitations, as Waymo operates exclusively in an 80-square-mile area within Los Angeles County, which includes neighborhoods such as Hollywood, Chinatown, Westwood, Marina del Rey, Mar Vista, and Playa Vista.
This move reflects the company's growing confidence in its technology, especially after securing a record investment of $5.6 billion, led by its parent company, Alphabet, to finance its next phase of development. Waymo recently announced that it is conducting 150,000 paid rides and covering over 1 million miles fully autonomously each week.
Waymo's journey in Los Angeles shows that less than a year after starting its waiting list for a select group of customers, the company opened its service to everyone. Since it began testing its service in Los Angeles in the fall of 2023, it started operating in March 2024, and the following month, it began charging users for their rides.
It is important to mention that Waymo is now directly competing with human ride services like Uber and Lyft, which do not have geographic restrictions. These services often feature lower prices and shorter wait times to secure a ride. Additionally, Waymo does not offer transportation options to LAX airport and still does not allow its vehicles to travel on highways. In a city that relies heavily on private cars like Los Angeles, it remains to be seen how useful Waymo will be for residents, especially without the option of using the highways. For now, the company has not indicated when it plans to expand its service to include trips to and from the airport, as well as on highways.
Despite these limitations, Waymo presents an innovative appeal, and its users often rate positively the option to customize their rides, such as choosing their own music or adjusting the vehicle's temperature. "This is an exciting moment to welcome everyone in Los Angeles to join this experience," said Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO of Waymo. "Our service has matured quickly, and our passengers are enjoying the many benefits of fully autonomous driving. We are very grateful to all our early users in LA and are eager to serve more passengers soon."
