Waymo Opens Robotaxi Rides To Anyone In L.A.
by Alan Ohnsman · ForbesWaymo, Alphabet’s robotic taxi unit, is expanding access to the service in Los Angeles by eliminating a waiting list to download the app needed to hail its sensor-laden electric vehicles. The company hopes the move ensures that ridership growth continues at a rapid pace.
Starting today, anyone in the second-largest U.S. city can download the Waymo app and book rides, with one caveat: the service is only available within an 80-square-mile portion running from downtown L.A. to Santa Monica. That covers less than 20% of a metropolis that sprawls about 500 square miles. About 300,000 people have been on a waiting list to use the app, double the number of weekly riders Waymo currently carries, the company said.
After it began commercial service in L.A., Waymo initially limited the service to about 50,000 people as it mastered driving habits in the city. The robotaxi service is widely available in San Francisco and Phoenix and will launch in Austin this year and Atlanta in early 2025.
Currently, Waymo is the only commercial robotaxi company operating in the U.S., though General Motors’ Cruise and Amazon’s Zoox aim to compete with it. Elon Musk is intent on making Tesla a major player in autonomy though it's far from clear how soon it will have a viable service. Alphabet CEO Sundari Pichai, who disclosed the 150,000 weekly rider figure just two weeks ago, said Waymo is a clear technical leader within the autonomous vehicle industry and creating a growing commercial opportunity” for its parent. Mountain View, California-based Alphabet didn’t say how much revenue Waymo generated in the third quarter though its Other Bets business–which includes the robotaxi service–jumped 31% to $388 million, driven by the ride company which Pichai said is its “biggest part.”
Waymo currently has about 100 electric Jaguar I-Pace SUVs, loaded with computers, laser lidar, radar, cameras and other sensors, operating in its Los Angeles fleet. Next year it’s shifting to lower-cost hardware and plans to begin using Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 EV, which costs about half as much as the I-PACE, in its robotaxi fleet.
As part of its L.A. expansion, Waymo is also partnering with local groups that promote safety for women and the LGBTQ+ community, including She is Hope and the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
“When I rode alone and with some of our single-mother families, we were amazed by the driverless technology and the sense of comfort it provided,” said Tisha Janigan, founder of She is Hope. The service could be a “game-changer for women we serve, offering a nonjudgmental, reliable transportation option that prioritizes safety.”