Waymo announced on November 12, 2024, that its autonomous ride-hailing service, Waymo One, is now accessible to all residents of Los Angeles. This expansion follows the previous launch of limited services in the city earlier this year, which attracted nearly 300,000 people to its waitlist.
With this move, Waymo aims to enhance its presence in the autonomous vehicle market, having already offered services in San Francisco since June and in Phoenix since 2020. The company has reported that it now transports over 50,000 passengers weekly in its robotaxis.
Waymo's recent $5.6 billion funding round reflects growing investor confidence in driverless technology, despite ongoing regulatory challenges. Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana stated, 'Our service has matured quickly and our riders are embracing the many benefits of fully autonomous driving.'
Waymo, based in Mountain View, California, has been a pioneer in self-driving technology since its inception as a Google project over a decade ago. The company has driven more than 20 million fully autonomous miles without serious incidents.