Later this year, Waymo One will launch its completely autonomous ride-hailing service to the general public in four major cities.
Starting on March 14, the service will be accessible to a limited number of Los Angeles residents. In addition, the company intends to make Waymo One available to Austin residents later this year, having begun the first round of rider-only testing in Austin last week.
Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana made a thrilling announcement at a featured session at SXSW in Austin, Texas, stating: “Autonomous driving—once an unthinkable future—is now a practical means of transportation for tens of thousands of people. We’re thrilled to expand the number of individuals who can enjoy the security, convenience, and joy of our Waymo One service after reaching significant milestones in each city.
Within the year, the company promises to begin offering rides in a 63-square-mile area from Santa Monica to Downtown LA, gradually growing its business. Following permission by the California Public Utilities Commission, these initial rides will be provided without charge. In the upcoming weeks, the service will become compensated. In addition to onboarding more than 50,000 individuals on its Los Angeles waitlist and continuing to provide temporary codes at neighborhood events across the city, Waymo plans to accept users into its program permanently.
However, Waymo is now testing completely autonomous trips over 43 square miles in Austin, including downtown, Barton Hills, Riverside, East Austin, Hyde Park, and other areas. Until Waymo One is made available to the general public later this year, rides will be provided to employees during its initial testing phase.
