"Robotaxi Commercialization Competition" kicks off, Waymo sets its "KPI for this year": 1 million orders per week in the US market!

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Alphabet’s autonomous driving company Waymo will achieve over 1 million weekly paid robotaxi rides in the US market by the end of 2026, marking a new phase in the commercialization of autonomous driving.

Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said in a Bloomberg TV interview on Wednesday that this is an “inflection point”. Waymo plans to expand tests and launch new commercial services this year in 20 cities in the US and international markets.

The company currently provides about 400,000 weekly paid rides in roughly six US cities via its own app and in partnership with Uber, offering fully driverless paid services. In 2025, Waymo’s ride numbers have tripled.

This expansion plan is strongly supported by capital markets. Earlier this month, Waymo raised $16 billion at a $126 billion valuation, led by new investors such as Sequoia Capital, DST Global and Dragoneer Investment Group. According to Bloomberg, parent company Alphabet contributed $13 billion.

Mawakana said investor support reflects Waymo’s success in proving its technology’s viability: “Consumers are accepting it, safety is verified, and now is an exciting time to join the team.”

Aggressive expansion: From mapping to commercial operations within months

Waymo’s expansion rate has accelerated significantly this year. Earlier this week, the company began fully autonomous operations in Nashville and plans to formally launch commercial service with Lyft later this year. Waymo also expects to launch services in Washington, Detroit, Las Vegas, San Diego, and Denver in 2026.

Mawakana revealed that, in some cases, Waymo can complete the entire process from city mapping to paid rides in just a few months. But in other cases, progress is much slower, especially in cities or states lacking robotaxi regulations.

The New York market is a typical case. Waymo has obtained permission for supervised tests in New York City, but there are currently no regulations allowing fully autonomous services. Mawakana said that outside New York City, New York State might offer more imminent opportunities, “The state is interested in advancing this business, providing us with growth opportunities.”

Fleet upgrade: From Jaguar to Zeekr and Hyundai

Waymo’s fleet mainly consists of electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles, now at the fifth generation. The company adds sensors and other technologies to these vehicles in the US. To support expansion, Waymo is diversifying its fleet.

The company has partnered with Geely’s Zeekr brand to launch a four-seat minivan robotaxi, which is currently in testing. Waymo will also expand its fleet with Hyundai’s electric vehicles.

Mawakana stated that the company is working to improve cost-efficiency as it scales its robotaxi fleet. Waymo is the leading provider of paid autonomous driving services in the US but faces competition from well-funded rivals.

Safety controversy: Regulatory investigation and technical fixes

The safety of Waymo vehicles has recently drawn attention. Last month, US regulators launched an investigation into an accident: a Waymo vehicle collided at low speed with a child near a school in Santa Monica, California. Waymo stated that its safety system detected the child, the vehicle responded and braked hard, reducing speed from 17 mph to about 6 mph before the collision occurred.

Mawakana said Waymo is cooperating with the investigation into the Santa Monica accident. The company determined that human drivers “could not match the performance of our superhuman driving system.”

On January 23, a week ago, auto safety investigators announced they are investigating a series of incidents where Waymo vehicles drove improperly around a stopped school bus near Austin. Mawakana stated, “We have resolved this situation through a software update,” but she added that this does not equate to a thorough fix, as every school bus scenario may differ.

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