Waymo Launches Fully Driverless Highway Rides in Major U.S. Cities
Waymo has initiated commercial driverless rides on freeways across San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix—marking the first U.S. deployment of autonomous vehicles at highway speeds without human backup. The Alphabet subsidiary confirmed the 24/7 service is currently limited to pre-approved riders as part of a phased expansion.
The breakthrough eliminates previous routing restrictions that forced Waymo's robotaxis to avoid freeways. Passengers now gain access to faster, more direct trips. Competitors like Tesla continue relying on safety monitors for highway testing, while China's WeRide operates similar services in Abu Dhabi with human oversight still present.