Google’s Waymo to begin self-driving taxi service for Texas employees

Google’s self-driving taxi company Waymo began providing driverless transportation for employees in Austin, Texas, this week.

The company said the robo taxis would be available across 43 square miles in Austin starting Wednesday, but the rides would be available to only employees. Waymo said it plans to open service for all customers after further testing.

“The Waymo Driver continues to impress after months of careful testing, and this milestone brings us a step closer to launching in our 4th ride-hail city,” Waymo Product Chief Saswat Panigrahi wrote on X.

Waymo services are currently available to all customers in Phoenix, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Waymo’s expansion comes as resistance to driverless taxis remains strong in major cities. While significant demand exists there, opponents say self-driving taxis are dangerous.

Late last year, Waymo’s main rival, General Motors’ Cruise, effectively shut down after a series of collisions caused California regulators to revoke the company’s license to operate.

While Waymo can still operate in California, Arizona and Texas, they’ve had problems. In February, a Waymo taxi struck a cyclist in San Francisco, and another taxi was set on fire by citizens during Chinese New Year celebrations.