Waymo to expand robotaxi service to Las Vegas, San Diego and Detroit

Waymo announced on Monday that it will expand its robotaxi service to Las Vegas, San Diego and Detroit next year, marking the Alphabet-owned unit’s largest U.S. geographic rollout to date. The company said it will begin operating new Zeekr-built vehicles alongside its existing Jaguar I-PACE fleet this week, and plans to begin serving paying passengers in the three cities in 2026, with Las Vegas targeted for next summer.

Waymo said the Zeekr model was developed with Chinese automaker Geely and is purpose-built for robotaxi operations; the vehicles will be introduced gradually as the company scales. In addition to vehicle deployment, Waymo described its typical market entry sequence: human drivers initially operate cars to map streets, then safety operators are removed for driverless testing, followed by limited access for employees and select riders before public availability. The company’s autonomous stack uses cameras, radar and lidar sensors along with self-driving software, Waymo added.

Local officials and regulators will play a role in timing. Waymo said it already holds the necessary permit to operate in California, while it is working with Michigan and Nevada authorities...