Waymo has begun offering its robotaxi service to the public in Denver, San Diego, and Tampa, bringing the Alphabet-owned company's commercial operations to 14 U.S. cities. The company said it will invite riders on a rolling basis and gradually increase access in the three markets, following its standard approach. The expansion grows its fleet of self-driving Jaguar I-Pace hatchbacks and a new minivan called the Ojai to more than 4,000 vehicles.
The launches come as Tesla pushes to close the gap in the U.S. robotaxi market. Tesla currently charges for rides in its driverless Model Y vehicles in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Orlando, and Tampa, though service in some of those cities remains limited. Tesla is also counting on the Cybercab, a custom-built two-seater without a steering wheel or pedals, to accelerate its efforts.
Waymo's announcement underscores an aggressive expansion that began in earnest 18 months ago and has solidified its position as the U.S. leader in robotaxis. The company operated in Phoenix for years before receiving all necessary permits in August 2023 to run and charge for driverless rides in San Francisco. After expanding across the Bay Area, including surface streets, surrounding areas, and freeways, Waymo moved into Los Angeles in 2024.
The growth plan picked up momentum in March 2025, when Waymo opened its robotaxis to riders in Austin through a partnership with Uber. Since then, it has launched commercial service in seven more cities, including Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Nashville, Orlando, and San Antonio. The pace is not slowing, as last month the Nevada Transportation Authority unanimously approved a permit allowing Waymo to operate up to 1,000 autonomous vehicles over the next year in Clark County, which includes Las Vegas. Tesla and Uber also received permits from the same agency, and Waymo is planning launches in London and Munich as well.
Waymo tends to follow a similar playbook in each new market, starting with mapping and testing its autonomous technology, then removing human safety operators, and eventually inviting employees, media, and other guests to try the service. The timeline for opening to paying riders often depends on local regulations, with states like California requiring permits from two separate agencies covering both public-road deployment and the ability to charge for rides.
The Denver, San Diego, and Tampa launches follow this pattern, but with a notable difference: the Ojai, a Zeekr-made minivan featuring Waymo's sixth-generation self-driving system, will be the only autonomous vehicle available to riders in Denver and San Diego. The Ojai is designed to be cheaper to build, operate, and maintain. Its fleet is currently small at about 300 vehicles compared with the Jaguar I-Pace, but it is expected to grow quickly as Waymo pursues profitability alongside expansion.
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