Waymo has opened up its autonomous robotaxi service, Waymo One, to the public in Los Angeles – allowing anyone in the city to download the service’s mobile app and use it to hail a vehicle from the Alphabet subsidiary’s robotaxi fleet. This large-scale deployment follows a private commercial launch, in which 300,000 prospective customers joined a ‘waitlist’ to gain access to and use the service.
In the open public trial, customers in Los Angeles will be able to hail a robotaxi and traverse an 80 square mile area covering LA County – incorporating neighborhoods such as Hollywood, Chinatown, Westwood, Marina del Rey, Mar Vista, and Playa Vista. The expansion of Waymo’s operations in Los Angeles mirrors the expansion of its service in Phoenix and San Francisco, which both similarly launched with a waitlist before being offered to the broader public.
Over time, Waymo will look to grow this service area further, adding more neighborhoods and broadening its overall accessibility. Having opened its service up, the Alphabet subsidiary also confirmed that it is working closely with its local community partners aligned with its mission to make roads safer and more accessible. One of these partners is the nonprofit She is Hope, which empowers single mothers in the city. With Waymo, the charity is looking to make mobility more convenient for its key beneficiaries.
Ultimately, in opening Waymo One up to the public, Waymo is aiming to help its customers in Los Angeles save time and be more productive or, conversely, relax. Here, it imagined the service helping actors run lines before an audition or influencers film social media videos.
