"The startup plans to expand testing and launch new commercial services across 20 cities this year within the US and internationally. In some cases, Waymo can go from mapping a city to the start of paid rides in just a matter of months. In other cases, progress will be much slower, especially when a city or state lacks rules on robotaxis. Waymo began fully autonomous operations in Nashville earlier this week ahead of a planned commercial launch with Lyft Inc. later this year."
"Earlier this month, Waymo raised $16 billion at a $126 billion valuation. The round was led by new investors Sequoia Capital, DST Global and Dragoneer Investment Group. Parent Alphabet's contribution wasn't disclosed, but totaled $13 billion, Bloomberg reported. The backing reflects Waymo's success in demonstrating the technology works, Mawakana said. Consumers are adopting it, the safety case is being made, and it's just a really exciting time to join the team."
Waymo will hit more than 1 million paid weekly robotaxi rides in the US by the end of the year after quadrupling trips in 2025. The company plans testing and commercial launches across 20 cities domestically and internationally, sometimes moving from mapping to paid service in months, though progress can be slower where regulatory frameworks are absent. Fully autonomous operations began in Nashville ahead of a planned Lyft partnership, and service is expected in 2026 in Washington, Detroit, Las Vegas, San Diego and Denver. Waymo raised $16 billion at a $126 billion valuation and currently provides about 400,000 paid weekly rides across six cities while focusing on cost-effectiveness.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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