Waymo is coming to Cincinnati for mapping only. For now.

Catch up quick: Waymo is a car service that is similar to Uber or Lyft except that it doesn't have, you know, a human driver.

• The company's robotaxis already operate in U.S. cities including Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco, with more markets planned.

Driving the news: Waymo plans to spend about two months mapping roughly 50 square miles of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, spokesperson Chris Bonelli tells Axios.

• Trained specialists will manually drive Jaguar I-Pace vehicles equipped with Waymo technology.
• The company creates detailed 3D maps before considering autonomous testing in a new city, Bonelli says.

What's next: Waymo will at least temporarily leave town once mapping is finished, Bonelli says. He added that the company hasn't announced plans or a timeline for autonomous testing or passenger service here.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati officials are starting to consider what Waymo's eventual arrival could mean.

• Council Member Mark Jeffreys, who has ridden in a Waymo, doesn't expect city action unless the company moves forward here.

• But he says Cincinnati should study how other cities have handled autonomous vehicles, including congestion and regulations.
• Jeffreys says Waymo could lead to transportation "disruptions," including affecting rideshare drivers' livelihoods. Rideshare drivers have pushed back on Waymo in places like Atlanta.

"It's really important that we get ahead of this," Jeffreys told Axios.

💭 Casey's thought bubble: While no one is saying it, Waymo is coming to Cincinnati. You don't invest these types of resources and not move forward with the project.

• Get ready for the future, Cincy.