Alphabet’s self-driving division Waymo said on Thursday it has expanded its autonomous ride-hailing service in Austin, Texas, to 90 square miles, up from 37 square miles previously, as it looks to maintain its lead in the city’s growing robotaxi market.
The expansion brings new neighborhoods like Crestview, Windsor Park, Sunset Valley and Franklin Park into Waymo’s coverage area. With over 100 vehicles already operating on Uber’s platform in Austin, the company is aiming to strengthen its presence as rivals, including Tesla, attempt to gain traction in the space.
Waymo, considered a leader in the autonomous vehicle industry, operates approximately 1,500 vehicles across key U.S. cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Atlanta. Earlier this week, it announced a milestone of 100 million miles driven without a human driver — a figure that has doubled in just six months.
Tesla, which recently ran a limited trial with a dozen Model Y SUVs in Austin, continues to pursue its own autonomous ambitions. However, unlike Waymo and most other developers, Tesla relies exclusively on cameras and AI for navigation, avoiding radar and lidar sensors.
“Austin remains one of the fastest growing cities in the country, and we are doing our part to grow with it,” said Shweta Shrivastava, senior director of product management at Waymo.