Waymo Launches First Commercial Robotaxi Service in Phoenix
Alphabet's Waymo officially kicks off its Waymo One commercial ride-hailing service in the Phoenix area, though it remains limited to early rider program participants with safety drivers behind the wheel.
Waymo, the Alphabet-owned self-driving car company, launches a commercial robotaxi service called Waymo One in the Phoenix area. This milestone marks a major step for the nascent autonomous vehicle industry, though the service comes with significant limitations. For now, Waymo restricts access to vetted participants from its existing early rider program rather than opening the doors to the general public.
Despite the commercial label, Waymo keeps trained test drivers behind the wheel of these vehicles for the initial rollout. The company operates the service 24 hours a day, seven days a week across four Phoenix suburbs including Chandler, Tempe, Mesa, and Gilbert. Riders see price estimates before accepting a trip and have instant access to a Waymo employee through the app or an in-car console if they have questions.
Waymo One differs from the previous early rider program because users now share their public impressions and bring along friends or family members who are not part of the test group. The early rider program continues to run separately to test new features before they graduate to the commercial service. Waymo plans to slowly expand the service into new neighborhoods throughout the greater Phoenix area over time.