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Published on
November 20, 2025
5 min read
Waymo Expands Robotaxi Footprint in U.S. Cities With Manually-Driven Vehicles
In Focus
- Waymo is expanding its robotaxi footprint to New Orleans, Tampa, and Minneapolis
- The company will use manually-driven Waymos in the three cities
- Waymo started operating freeway rides in three markets last week
Autonomous vehicle firm Waymo is expanding its robotaxi footprint to Minneapolis, New Orleans, and Tampa CNBC reported. The Alphabet-owned firm will roll out manually-driven Waymos in the U.S. cities, with plans to launch driverless rides in 2026. If Waymo launches in Minneapolis, Tampa, and New Orleans, its list of 2026 expansions would grow to 15 cities.
Waymo’s 2026 Expansion Plan
The robotaxi firm plans to introduce self-driving cabs in Houston, Dallas, Miami, San Antonio, and Orlando in the next few weeks. Waymo plans to open its robotaxi service to the public in these cities next year.
However, the company will wait for validation of its technology in Tampa, New Orleans, and Minneapolis before committing to robotaxi service launches in 2026.
“2026 is very much on the table, but we’ll be led by our safety framework,” Waymo spokesperson Ethan Teicher said in an email.
Previously, the company announced plans to expand Waymo paid driverless services in the U.S.
to Denver, Detroit, Las Vegas, Washington D.C., and San Diego in 2026.
In September 2025, the robotaxi firm partnered with Lyft to provide autonomous rides in Nashville, Tennessee. The partnership with Lyft was the first commercial deployment of Waymo’s robotaxis on the Lyft ride-hailing network.
Waymo also announced plans to launch robotaxis in London in 2026. The London robotaxi launch will be the first for the Alphabet-owned company in the European market.
Waymo Introduces Freeway Routes
Last week, the autonomous rides firm started offering freeway routes in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix markets. The company plans to extend these trips to more locations and riders over time.
With a fleet of about 2,000 vehicles, Waymo is the largest provider of paid robotaxi service in the U.S. Currently operating in the San Francisco Bay Area, Austin, Atlanta, Phoenix, and Los Angeles, it completes over 250,000 paid trips each week.
Since its establishment in 2020, Waymo has completed over 10 million paid rides. Earlier this year, a Wells Fargo report projected that the robotaxi firm will likely control 10% rideshare trips in the U.S. over the next five years.
With a fleet of about 2,000 vehicles, Waymo is the largest provider of paid robotaxi service in the U.S. Currently operating in the San Francisco Bay Area, Austin, Atlanta, Phoenix, and Los Angeles, it completes over 250,000 paid trips each week.
Since its establishment in 2020, Waymo has completed over 10 million paid rides. Earlier this year, a Wells Fargo report projected that the robotaxi firm will likely control 10% rideshare trips in the U.S. over the next five years.
Waymo’s Future Expansion Plans
Waymo’s expansion to freeways marks a significant milestone for the robotaxi industry due to the high speed operating conditions. In 2026, the robotaxi company plans to introduce robotaxi rides in areas with harsh winter conditions.
“We currently operate at freezing temperatures, including frost and hail, and we’re validating our system to navigate harsher weather conditions. We’ll have small fleets to start that we expand over time,” Teicher added.
The move to introduce robotaxis in Minneapolis reflects Waymo’s willingness to operate in regions where self-driving vehicles need to brave harsh weather conditions like snow.
