What Happened to Waymo?

Waymo's journey began in January 2009 as the Google Self-Driving Car Project, a pioneering initiative to develop fully autonomous vehicles. The project, led by Sebastian Thrun, focused on a full-stack approach involving high-resolution mapping, LiDAR, and machine learning to master urban navigation. This early, well-funded internal development allowed Waymo to accumulate millions of autonomous miles and establish a significant technological lead.

A pivotal moment arrived in December 2016 when the project was spun out from Google and rebranded as Waymo, becoming an independent subsidiary under Alphabet Inc. This move signaled a clear commitment to commercializing autonomous vehicle technology. Waymo launched its first commercial ride-hailing service, Waymo One, in Phoenix, Arizona, in December 2018, initially with safety drivers. By October 2020, it became the first company to offer fully driverless service to the public in a designated area of Phoenix, marking a significant milestone in the autonomous vehicle industry.

Since then, Waymo has aggressively pursued expansion and technological refinement. The company introduced its 6th-generation Waymo Driver in February 2026, a system designed for greater capabilities, lower costs, and broader deployment across diverse environments, including challenging weather conditions. This advanced system integrates high-resolution cameras, imaging radar, and lidar as a unified sensing suite, leveraging AI breakthroughs for enhanced navigation. Waymo has also forged strategic partnerships, including one with Zeekr for purpose-built electric robotaxis and with Uber for integrating its autonomous technology into Uber's freight service and offering Waymo rides through the Uber app in some cities.

As of May 2026, Waymo operates public commercial robotaxi services in 11 U.S. metropolitan areas, including Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, and Orlando, with early access in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Nashville. The company boasts a fleet of 3,000 robotaxis, providing approximately 500,000 paid rides per week, and aims to double that to one million weekly rides by the end of 2026. This rapid scaling is supported by substantial investment, including a $16 billion funding round in February 2026 that valued the company at $126 billion. Waymo also announced international testing in London in April 2026, with a commercial launch targeted for Q4 2026.

Despite its progress, Waymo faces challenges, including regulatory scrutiny and public safety concerns. In January 2026, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened investigations into Waymo's robotaxis for incidents such as illegally passing stopped school buses and a robotaxi hitting a child. Most recently, on May 12, 2026, Waymo issued a voluntary recall for 3,791 robotaxis (5th and 6th generation) due to a software issue that could cause vehicles to drive through flooded roadways, an incident that occurred in San Antonio. The company is deploying an over-the-air software fix and has implemented interim operational restrictions. Waymo maintains that its technology significantly reduces crashes, reporting a 90% reduction in serious injury crashes compared to human drivers. The company is also actively lobbying for uniform nationwide standards for autonomous vehicle deployment.