Waymo debuts driverless taxis in Miami, but you can't hail a cyber-cab yet
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A Waymo taxi in downtown Atlanta. Photo: Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images
Attention Miami drivers: If you notice an empty Jaguar stopped at a red light, don't assume the driver bailed in a fit of road rage.
- It might just be a self-driving taxi, which Waymo began testing on Miami roads Tuesday.
Why it matters: The ride-hailing company — which currently operates in several U.S. cities from Los Angeles to Atlanta — is planning to launch in Miami, Orlando and across Texas in 2026.
The latest: After first using drivers to test Waymo's electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles in Miami, the company Tuesday began operating a limited number of fully driverless vehicles with Waymo employees as passengers.
- The cars are not using the highways — yet — but Waymo does operate on freeways in California and Arizona, a spokesperson told Axios.
- The company is taking its cars across Miami-Dade County, from Doral to Bal Harbour to South Miami and more, the spokesperson said.
- "As we've done in the past, we'll gradually expand our operations over time."
State of play: Miami has long been a testing ground for self-driving vehicles — thanks to the city's tropical weather and unpredictable driving conditions.
- Companies like Ford, Lyft and Amazon-owned Zoox have tested their vehicles on our streets.
- Last month, the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office rolled out a new autonomous police cruiser.
How it works: Waymo — owned by Google parent company Alphabet — says its cars are controlled by a "demonstrably safe AI" system that is trained through real-world driving and advanced simulation.
- When entering a new city, the company says it compares its driving performance against a baseline to measure outcomes and "identify any unique local characteristics."
- "As needed, we then refine the Waymo Driver's AI to navigate these local nuances — which are becoming fewer with every city," Waymo said in a press release.
Friction point In July, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration closed a 14-month investigation into Waymo over a series of minor collisions and "unexpected behavior," deciding to take no action against the company, Reuters reported.
- The federal safety agency cited Waymo's decision to recall more than 1,200 self-driving vehicles in May for software updates and to address collision risks with roadway barriers, per Reuters.
- Waymo says that compared to the average human-driven car, its self-driving cars are involved in far fewer injury-causing collisions.