Waymo speeds across America — and Atlanta
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Waymo is accelerating its rollout of robotaxis in the U.S., adding four new cities in Texas and Florida this week as self-driving technology begins to penetrate mainstream America.
Why it matters: Armed with $16 billion in fresh capital from parent Alphabet and others, Waymo is quickly extending its lead over other players like Tesla and Amazon-owned Zoox, which are still mostly in testing mode — including here in Atlanta.
By the numbers: The average Waymo in Atlanta and Austin has "been busier than 99% of our drivers in terms of completed trips per day," Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said during an August 2025 earnings call.
- A significant number of Uber users are also cancelling hailed rides with human drivers in hope of pairing with an available Waymo, Business Insider reported.
Zoom out: Now in 10 cities, Waymo has doubled the number of markets it serves in a matter of months.
- It's laying the groundwork for service in at least 20 cities, and is on track to provide more than one million driverless rides per week by the end of the year.
What we're watching: Waymo's robotaxis are adapting quickly to new markets, but basic operational challenges — such as charging and maintenance — could constrain network growth.