Waymo Expands Operations to Miami for Future Robotaxi Service

Waymo is turning its attention toward Miami, marking the Sunshine State as its next destination for expansion.

On Thursday, the company, which is owned by Alphabet, revealed plans to roll out in Miami. The initial phase will see human safety drivers operating the vehicles on the streets in 2025. Following this, the company aims to introduce its robotaxi service through the Waymo One app in 2026.

Confidence in Adverse Weather

This move into Miami reflects Waymo's increasing confidence in managing self-driving vehicles in challenging weather across large U.S. cities. Waymo conducted its first test in Miami back in 2019, which greatly enhanced its vehicles’ ability to navigate during wet and rainy conditions. "We deepened our learning and understanding of the Waymo Driver’s performance in adverse weather conditions," stated a company spokesperson.

All-Electric Fleets Launch

When Waymo re-enters Miami next year, it will utilize all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles, applying insights gathered from previous tests in the city.

The initial operational area in Florida will encompass certain parts of the greater Miami metropolitan area, which houses a population exceeding 6 million.

Recent Expansions and Partnerships

In recent months, Waymo has accelerated its expansion due to increased funding. In November, it removed a waitlist of about 300,000 people in Los Angeles, enabling anyone to use Waymo One to hail a self-driving robotaxi across nearly 80 square miles of the county. The ride-hailing service also runs in Phoenix and San Francisco. Additionally, in September, Waymo announced a partnership with Uber in Austin and Atlanta, wherein Uber riders can access Waymo’s robotaxis through the Uber app starting in early 2025.

Collaborations for Fleet Management

Alongside the developments in Miami, Waymo revealed a partnership with the mobility company Moove to oversee its fleet operations, facilities, and charging infrastructure in both Miami and Phoenix. Moove is anticipated to start managing Waymo’s fleet in Phoenix by early 2025, according to a Waymo representative.

Funding and Ride Numbers

Waymo successfully secured $5.6 billion in funding last month to facilitate the further rollout of its robotaxi service across the U.S. The parent company, Alphabet, which is also the owner of Google, led this funding round with contributions from numerous existing investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, Fidelity, and Tiger Global.

Waymo reported that it currently provides over 150,000 paid rides per week via the Waymo One app in San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.

Competitive Landscape

As the only autonomous vehicle developer operating commercial robotaxi services in several major metropolitan areas, Waymo faces emerging competition. GM-owned Cruise is actively working to recommence its autonomous vehicle services after a pause due to an accident in San Francisco. Meanwhile, Tesla showcased designs for its self-driving Cybercab and Robovan recently but still considers its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving software as partially automated, requiring human oversight. Tesla CEO Elon Musk indicated plans to launch a self-driving ride-hailing service in California and Texas by 2025.

Competitors like Wayve, supported by SoftBank, and Amazon's Zoox are also testing their autonomous vehicles in various U.S. cities.

Waymo, Miami, robotaxi