Waymo is pushing its robotaxi race into a new gear. The Alphabet-owned company has started fully driverless rides in Las Vegas, meaning passengers can now step into a Waymo vehicle with no human behind the wheel.
The rollout also sets up the next wave. Waymo says Denver, San Diego, and Tampa will follow, giving the company a much wider map as it chases one of the biggest targets in autonomous driving: 1 million paid rides per week by the end of 2026.
Las Vegas Gets the Robotaxi Test
Las Vegas is more than another pin on the map. It is a high-pressure city filled with tourists, traffic, hotels, airports, event crowds, and unpredictable driving patterns.
That makes the launch a major signal. Waymo has already tested in several markets with safety drivers. However, removing the human operator changes the story. It moves the company from controlled testing into a serious commercial phase.
Interested riders in the new cities can use the Waymo app to receive updates when service becomes available.
Waymo’s Expansion Is Speeding Up
Waymo runs about 3,500 robotaxis and has completed more than 20 million trips. Earlier this year, it was handling roughly 500,000 paid rides per week across markets including Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, Atlanta, Miami, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando.
Now, the company wants to double that weekly ride count before 2026 ends.
To support that push, Waymo has raised major funding and expanded its service area past 1,400 square miles across 11 U.S. cities. It is also preparing its Ojai robotaxi, a purpose-built vehicle designed around Waymo’s latest sixth-generation Driver hardware.
Why Tampa Matters
Tampa stands out in this announcement. Waymo had already named several 2026 expansion cities, including Las Vegas, San Diego, Denver, Detroit, Washington, and Orlando. Tampa adds another Florida market and deepens Waymo’s Sun Belt strategy.
The Tesla Contrast
Waymo’s pace also puts pressure on Tesla. Tesla’s robotaxi program has expanded, but its footprint remains far smaller. While Tesla waits for a larger Full Self-Driving jump, Waymo is already adding real driverless cities.
