Waymo wants to launch self-driving rideshares in D.C. next year

State of play: The company is planning for locals to hail rides from the all-electric fleet via the Waymo One app starting next year, per the release.

• The group began testing the cars with drivers behind the wheel in D.C. last year.

The intrigue: While D.C. allows autonomous vehicle companies to test their fleets in the city, the current law does not allow these cars to be operated without a driver, a D.C. Department of Transportation (DDOT) spokesperson tells Axios.

• But DDOT is refining its approach "based on public input, emerging best practices, and lessons learned from peer jurisdictions," per the spokesperson.
• Waymo will spend the next year working with city officials to "formalize the regulatory framework needed to serve riders" sans-driver, a company spokesperson tells Axios.

The big picture: The service is currently available in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin, with Miami and Atlanta in the works.