Waymo is starting robotaxi service in San Diego

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Set us as preferred Waymo, the driverless taxi company that operates in more than 10 cities, will soon serve customers in San Diego.The company has been testing its autonomous vehicles in San Diego with a safety driver behind the wheel since earlier this year.

Rides without a human driver became available to employees Thursday and will open to members of the public later this year.Waymo, which announced the expansion Wednesday, will also bring its taxis to Tampa, Las Vegas and Denver.“If you’re in one of these four new cities, download the app to be notified when it’s time to ride,” the company said in a blog post.

Business Two 15-year-olds drinking alcohol and shooting toy guns in the back of a Waymo were caught by police after the vehicle contacted law enforcement.Waymo has offered fully autonomous rides in San Francisco since 2022 and in Los Angeles since 2024.It also serves customers in Nashville, Phoenix, Miami and other cities.

In May, Waymo launched a cheaper robotaxi dubbed the Ojai, which is better equipped for difficult driving conditions such as snowy roads.The Ojai will supplement Waymo’s fleet of Jaguar I-Paces, the company said.

In San Diego, services will be provided with the Ojai.Waymo also announced Wednesday it’s beginning autonomous driving with a safety driver in its newest retrofitted vehicle, the Hyundai IONIQ 5.“This phase allows us to validate our technology for fully autonomous operations as we work to bring riders even more ways to enjoy Waymo in the future,” the company said.The company plans to eventually have tens of thousands of driverless taxis made per year, starting with the Ojai, then scaling using the IONIQ 5s.Business Waymo unveils the Ojai, its new self-driving taxi that has more leg room and is better equipped for snowy roads.

The rollout begins in Los Angeles, San Fr...