Waymo has expanded its robotaxi services to four more cities as part of its ongoing rollout. The company recently announced that it has initiated testing of its autonomous vehicles in Philadelphia, with manual data collection drives set to begin in Baltimore, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh.
Waymo has not disclosed a specific timeline for the launch of commercial services in these locations, nor has it confirmed any potential partnerships with other companies for operating robotaxis. This approach echoes its strategy in cities like Atlanta and Austin, where collaborations with Uber have been instrumental in advancing the robotaxi program.
The latest additions join a growing list of over 20 cities where Waymo is actively offering rides, preparing for commercial launches, or conducting testing. Notably, the company has now extended its services to freeways in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and the San Francisco Bay Area, with plans to achieve one million rides per week by the end of 2026.
Despite Waymo’s claims of operating at a level five times safer than human drivers, recent incidents have raised concerns. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating the company’s vehicle behavior around school buses, following a video showing a Waymo vehicle bypassing a stopped bus in Atlanta. Additionally, a report by Austin’s KXAN revealed instances of Waymo vehicles illegally passing school buses during loading and unloading, despite purported software updates aimed at addressing this issue.
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