Waymo Plans to Launch Fully Autonomous Ride-Hailing in Washington, D.C.
Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving unit, announced plans on Tuesday to introduce its autonomous ride-hailing service in Washington, D.C., next year. The company has already begun moving vehicles into the city, with more expected to arrive in the coming weeks as it prepares for commercial operations.
Expanding Autonomous Ride Services
Waymo One, the company’s fully autonomous ride-hailing service, currently operates in San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Austin. It provides over 200,000 paid passenger trips weekly and has completed more than 4 million rides in 2024. The company has plans to expand into Atlanta and Miami before launching in Washington, D.C.
However, fully autonomous operations are not yet permitted in the U.S. capital. “We will also work closely with policymakers to formalize the legal framework needed to operate without a human behind the wheel,” Waymo stated.
The presence of federal regulators and lawmakers in Washington, D.C., makes it a key location for automakers and tech companies advocating for government action to support autonomous vehicle deployment.
Safety Concerns and Regulatory Challenges
Despite Waymo’s growth, its self-driving technology has faced scrutiny. In May, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched an investigation into 22 reports of Waymo robotaxis engaging in unsafe driving behaviour. The incidents included 17 collisions, with some vehicles hitting clearly visible objects that a human driver would typically avoid.
In response to past safety concerns, Waymo has issued recalls. In June 2023, it recalled 672 self-driving cars after one vehicle struck a wooden utility pole in Phoenix. A software update was issued to improve object detection and mapping accuracy. In February 2024, another recall affected 444 vehicles due to a software issue that caused the cars to misinterpret the movement of towed vehicles, leading to two minor crashes in Arizona.
Waymo’s Safety Performance
Waymo remains confident in its safety record. The company reported that, based on data from over 50 million rider-only miles (80.5 million km), its vehicles have been involved in 154 fewer injury-causing crashes—an 81% reduction compared to human drivers.
As Waymo expands its services, its success in Washington, D.C., will depend on regulatory approvals and public trust in autonomous vehicle safety.
With inputs from Reuters
