Waymo has announced it will introduce fully autonomous driving in five new US cities: Miami, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Orlando. Operations are due to start mid-November 2025 in Miami and follow in the other four cities over the coming weeks.
Waymo evaluates its self-driving system, the Waymo Driver, against established performance baselines to assess safety and operational effectiveness in each new location. Adjustments are made as necessary to address local traffic conditions, though Waymo reports these differences are decreasing with each new city.
Data from real-world driving and simulation are used to inform ongoing software updates. According to the company, its system has been involved in significantly fewer serious injury collisions than human drivers – approximately 11 times fewer – in the areas where it operates.
Scaling autonomous vehicle services involves more than technology and operations, says Waymo, it also depends on gaining public and institutional trust. Waymo says it works with policymakers, regulators, safety officials and community organizations to provide information about how its technology functions and its potential impact on local transportation.
In related news, WeRide approved for driverless robotaxi operations in Switzerland