Business Desk 
Nov 13, 2024
Waymo One, the autonomous ride-hailing service, is now available to general public in Los Angeles, as announced by the company on Tuesday (November 12).
The California-based Waymo is a self-driving technology pioneer. Earlier, the robotaxi service was available in only two states of America: Arizona in 2020 and San Francisco in June this year.
However, the company was from day one ambitious to make its operations accessible in other parts of the country. The expansion comes eight months after Waymo began offering rides in Los Angeles to a limited group of passengers.
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According to Waymo, around 300,000 people joined the waitlist, indicating Waymo robotaxis’ high demand from the public.
"Our service has matured quickly and our riders are embracing the many benefits of fully autonomous driving," Co-CEO Waymo, Tekedra Mawakana, stated.
Waymo also secured $5.6 billion in funding last month, underscoring the significant investments being made by automakers and tech companies in autonomous driving technology despite strict regulations.
Moreover, Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed last month his company’s plans to launch “Cybercab”, driverless ride-hailing services, to the public in California and Texas by 2026.
Furthermore, General Motors (GM) is testing cars with human safety drivers. Moreover, Amazon's Zoox is also testing vehicles built without steering wheels and pedals.
