Waymo grows Bay Area and LA service zones
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A person in San Francisco hails a Waymo car via the app. Photo: Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images
Waymo, the Silicon Valley-based robotaxi service, is widening its Bay Area footprint as part of a broader California push, the company announced Tuesday.
Why it matters: Waymo's latest expansion in California underscores growing confidence in self-driving cars as it ramps up its rollout in more cities across the U.S.
State of play: Starting Tuesday, riders in the South Bay cities of Brisbane, South San Francisco, San Bruno, Millbrae and Burlingame can hail driverless rides via the Waymo One app.
- The company is also expanding its service area for riders in Palo Alto and Menlo Park.
- The announcement comes a few days after the company halted service in parts of San Francisco amid anti-Trump protests.
Between the lines: Waymo will also launch service Wednesday in more of Los Angeles — including Playa del Rey, Ladera Heights, Echo Park, Silver Lake and all of Sunset Boulevard — bringing its LA coverage area to more than 120 square miles.
The big picture: The 80-square-mile expansion in both LA and the Bay Area boosts its total California footprint to 250 square miles.
By the numbers: The Alphabet-owned company is now averaging 250,000 weekly trips across its four markets in San Francisco, LA, Phoenix and Austin — a fivefold jump from just a year ago, according to spokesperson Chris Bonelli.
The intrigue: Waymo will also soon become available in Miami, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta and is testing runs in cities including Houston, Dallas, San Diego, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Nashville and Boston.
What's next: Waymo has mapped the roadways around San Francisco International Airport and is in active conversations with local officials for rolling out future service.
- The company is also currently testing autonomous freeway rides with employees in the Bay Area, though it's not ready for public riders yet, Bonelli told Axios.