Waymo debuts in Philly, but you can't hail a self-driving robotaxi yet
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You can now spot this high-tech Jaguar i-Pace EV on Philly streets. Photo: Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty
Waymo vehicles are cruising on Philadelphia streets this summer, potentially setting the stage for a fully autonomous rideshare service here.
Why it matters: Self-driving taxis have already been rolled out in several cities — Atlanta, Los Angeles, San Francisco — and Waymo is expanding.
State of play: Waymo began deploying a fleet of cars with a human driver in Philly this week.
- Yes, but: You can't hail one. The fleet is closed to the public as the company develops its autonomous driving technology and familiarizes itself with the city.
- Keep an eye out: Waymo's signature white Jaguar i-Pace EVs will drive at all hours in neighborhoods including North Philly, University City and Eastwick and along I-76, I-95 and Penrose Avenue.
Meanwhile, Waymo is also seeking permission from Pennsylvania's Department of Transportation to test its automated robotaxis in Philly.
- If it's granted, that doesn't mean you can hail a driverless cab anytime soon.
- Testing would be conducted with a safety driver in the vehicle. No passenger transport will be offered.
Zoom out: Waymo's rollout in Philly is part of a U.S. tour that includes New York and Boston.
Context: Philly's first autonomous vehicle pilot launched at the Navy Yard in 2024 with human backup drivers onboard.
- Perrone Robotics — the company that provided the tech behind the Navy Yard service — is currently the only certified company to operate automated vehicles in Philly.
- The pilot, which also ran along South Broad Street, ended earlier this year.
Zoom out: Companies can operate autonomous vehicles in Pennsylvania both with or without a safety driver behind the wheel, according to state rules.
- Six companies have certifications to operate automated vehicles in the Commonwealth, per the state's DOT.
- In Pittsburgh, Motional AD is currently testing automated robotaxis.
By the numbers: DOT has only two reported crashes involving automated vehicles in the state. Both occurred in 2022 and didn't result in fatalities, a spokesperson tells Axios.
The intrigue: Philly driving is not for the weak.
- Any autonomous vehicle will also have to navigate our infamous potholes, sinkholes and freewheeling pedestrians.
What they're saying: Paul J. Perrone, founder and CEO of Perrone Robotics, tells Axios that Philly has unique challenges for automated vehicles — from aggressive drivers and older infrastructure to narrow streets.
- "It's not like driving in San Francisco or Austin," he says.
Waymo says it won't be a problem. "We've built our system to operate in cities as they exist today," a company spokesperson tells Axios.