Waymo has received the green light from California regulators to launch its largest robotaxi service expansion to date. The new approval covers 18 counties, including the entire Bay Area, Los Angeles, and new markets in Sacramento and San Diego. This move positions Waymo to further solidify its lead in the autonomous vehicle sector.
Waymo’s Statewide Expansion
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved Waymo to operate and charge for fully driverless rides across a vast region of California. The approval includes 12 counties in Northern California—such as Alameda, San Francisco, and Santa Clara—and 6 counties in Southern California, including Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego.
Waymo’s expanded service area now covers most of the state’s population, allowing the company to operate on all types of roads and in nearly all weather conditions, except for widespread snow or ice. Both the Jaguar I-Pace and the new Ojai robotaxi, equipped with Waymo’s sixth-generation Driver, are included in the rollout.
Regulatory Process and Operating Conditions
Waymo filed Advice Letter No. 4 with the CPUC on January 28, 2026. The process included a suspension through September 25 for further review and a supplemental letter in May addressing issues such as unaccompanied minors and procedures during service disruptions.
The CPUC’s approval allows Waymo to operate on freeways, highways, city streets, rural roads, parking lots, driveways, and rail crossings, both day and night, and in rain, fog, and hail. The only significant restriction is during widespread snow or ice.
Waymo’s Growth and Market Impact
As of May 2026, Waymo’s service area spanned 1,400 square miles (~3,626 km²) across 11 cities, supported by a fleet of approximately 3,000 all-electric vehicles. The company has completed more than 20 million trips and is targeting 1 million rides per week by the end of this year.
Waymo’s growth has been rapid, with 14 million paid trips in 2025—triple the volume from 2024, representing a 200% year-over-year increase. The company dominated the U.S. robotaxi market in 2024 and is expected to generate $100M (~AUD 141.7M) in revenue for that year.
Competitor Comparison
While Waymo has secured approval for fully autonomous, driverless operations, Tesla’s ‘Robotaxi’ service in the Bay Area still requires a human driver in the seat. According to CPUC deputy executive director Pat Tsen, ‘Tesla is not operating an autonomous vehicle service’ and only holds a charter-party carrier permit, which does not require the same safety reporting or data transparency as Waymo’s permit.
Other competitors, such as Zoox, are also subject to similar regulatory requirements as Waymo, but none have matched Waymo’s scale or regulatory progress in California.
Historical Context
Waymo’s expansion comes after a year of significant growth. In 2025, the company completed 14 million paid trips, a threefold increase from 2024. This rapid rise has reinforced Waymo’s leadership in the U.S. robotaxi sector.
Why this matters
Waymo’s approval to operate across 18 counties marks a major milestone for autonomous vehicle deployment in the United States. The scale of this expansion demonstrates regulatory confidence in Waymo’s safety framework and operational readiness.
With most of California’s population now within reach of driverless robotaxi service, the company is positioned to accelerate the adoption of autonomous mobility and set new standards for the industry.
What this means for buyers
For California residents, Waymo’s expanded service means greater access to fully driverless rides in more regions, including new markets like Sacramento and San Diego. Riders can expect gradual rollout as Waymo builds out its infrastructure and fleet.
Consumers interested in autonomous mobility should monitor Waymo’s service availability in their area, as well as compare offerings from other providers like Tesla and Zoox, which currently do not offer the same level of driverless operation.
Key Specs
- Approved Counties: 18 (12 in Northern California, 6 in Southern California)
- Fleet Size: Approximately 3,000 vehicles
- Service Area (May 2026): 1,400 square miles (~3,626 km²)
- Total Trips Completed: Over 20 million
- Target Rides per Week (2026): 1 million
- Supported Vehicle Models: Jaguar I-Pace, Ojai robotaxi (sixth-generation Driver)
- Operating Conditions: All road types, day and night, rain, fog, hail (except widespread snow/ice)
- 2025 Paid Trips: 14 million (+200% YoY from 2024)
Source
Images sourced from: electrek.co, axios.com, motortrend.com
