California regulators have granted Waymo approval to expand its commercial robotaxi service area south of San Francisco, further widening the reach of Alphabet’s self-driving unit across the Bay Area.
The California Public Utilities Commission’s decision will allow Waymo to operate its autonomous ride-hailing service in more communities beyond its current territory. In a post on social media platform X, the company said the approval “won’t change near-term plans,” but it marks a key milestone in its long-term growth strategy.
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Waymo currently offers paid driverless rides across approximately 85 square miles, encompassing the city of San Francisco and parts of Silicon Valley, including Mountain View, Palo Alto, Los Altos, and Sunnyvale. The new approval gives Waymo the green light to expand into adjacent communities, although specific expansion timelines have not been announced.
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The company is also pursuing phased access to San Francisco International Airport (SFO). While its vehicles are not yet permitted to operate autonomously at the airport, Waymo received a temporary permit in March to manually map the area. The company described this as the first step toward offering eventual commercial service at SFO.
Waymo currently delivers about 250,000 paid rides weekly across its markets, which include San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and, most recently, Austin.
