Waymo opens robotaxi rides to the public in 3 new cities, now 14 total

Waymo has opened its fully driverless ride-hailing service to the general public in three new US cities, expanding to a total of 14. The Alphabet-owned company launched public access in Denver, San Diego, and Tampa on Monday, after tens of thousands of residents in each market had already signed up in advance. Access will be phased in over time, so not everyone who registered will be able to summon a robotaxi on day one.

This expansion is a notable step for a technology that has spent years operating in just a handful of cities. For Saudi readers, it is worth understanding that Waymo is not a car you buy, but a mobility service. It sits at the top end of the autonomous ride-hailing segment, where the entire driving process—from navigation to obstacle avoidance—is handled by software and sensors, with no safety driver behind the wheel.

In Saudi Arabia, the obvious comparison points are Careem and Uber, the ride-hailing apps most drivers already use. Neither operates a driverless fleet today, but the Kingdom has shown strong interest in autonomous mobility as part of its smart-city