Waymo, the autonomous ride-hailing company, is making significant strides in expanding its service areas in California. The latest updates include adding a combined 80 square miles of coverage across Los Angeles and San Francisco, with plans to target New York City next.
In Los Angeles, Waymo has extended its service area to include new neighborhoods such as Playa del Rey, Ladera Heights, Echo Park, and Silver Lake. Notably, Waymo vehicles can now navigate the full length of Sunset Boulevard, a famous road in L.A. The expansion encompasses various directions but excludes Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for now.
Similarly, in San Francisco, Waymo has expanded its coverage without specifying particular neighborhoods. The service area now includes the entirety of Sunset Boulevard and extends further into the Bay Area while avoiding San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
The timing of these expansions coincides with increasing competition in the autonomous ride-hailing industry. Tesla, Waymo’s prominent competitor, is preparing to launch its Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, leveraging vision-based technology and Full Self-Driving software. In contrast, Waymo relies heavily on lidar technology for its platform.
With the recent updates, Waymo’s total service area in California now spans 250 square miles. The company has been conducting extensive testing and aims to expand its fleet to cater to more riders. As of May 2025, Waymo has completed 10 million paid autonomous rides, with 250,000 rides being completed weekly across its U.S. markets.
Looking ahead, Waymo has set its sights on New York City, with plans to re-enter the market next month. The company has applied for a permit with the New York State Department of Transportation to operate autonomous vehicles, albeit with human specialists onboard initially.
Waymo is actively advocating for policy changes at the state level to eventually offer fully driverless service in New York. The company’s mission is clear: to reach more people in more locations, and New Yorkers may soon have access to Waymo’s autonomous ride-hailing services.