Waymo reports 250,000 paid robotaxi rides per week in U.S.

CNBC ^ | Thu, Apr 24 20256:05 PM EDT | Lora Kolodny

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Key Points

• Alphabet reported Thursday that Waymo, its autonomous vehicle unit, is now delivering more than 250,000 paid robotaxi rides per week in the U.S.
• That figure is up from 200,000 in February, before Waymo opened in Austin and expanded in the San Francisco Bay Area in March.
• Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said Waymo is building partnerships with ride-hailing app Uber, automakers and operations and maintenance businesses that tend to its vehicle fleets.

Alphabet reported Thursday that Waymo, its autonomous vehicle unit, is now delivering more than 250,000 paid robotaxi rides per week in the U.S.

CEO Sundar Pichai said Waymo has options in terms of “business models across geographies,” and the robotaxi company is building partnerships with ride-hailing app Uber, automakers and operations and maintenance businesses that tend to its vehicle fleets.

“We can’t possibly do it all ourselves,” said Pichai on a call with analysts for Alphabet’s first-quarter earnings.

Pichai noted that Waymo has not entirely defined its long-term business model, and there is “future optionality around personal ownership” of vehicles equipped with Waymo’s self-driving technology. The company is also exploring the ways it can scale up its operations, he said.

The 250,000 paid rides per week are up from 200,000 in February, before Waymo opened in Austin and expanded in the San Francisco Bay Area in March.

Waymo, which is part of Alphabet’s Other Bets segment, is already running its commercial, driverless ride-hailing services in the San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin regions.

Earlier this month, Waymo and its partner Uber, began allowing interested riders to sign up to try the robotaxi service in Atlanta when it opens this summer.

The early pioneer in self-driving technology, Waymo has managed to beat Elon Musk-led Tesla and a myriad...

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I see Waymo cars all the time around Mountain View, CA. Plus other driverless prototype cars, too. I see several every day. I’m still wary and still give them a wide berth, especially if I’m on foot in a crosswalk.

We’ve seen them for years from the very first prototypes that were hitting the road.

[Fungi]

Supporting a leftist anti-American company that uses our freedom to destroy it. My take. At his rate, no humans will survive...

[escapefromboston]

Think I’ll take a pass on a self driving car.

[DIRTYSECRET]

I’m looking forward to 100% driverless. No need for a car anymore. Everything is UBER. No labor charge for the driver. Fewer cars owned. Turn the garage into a sports bar.

[lightman]

My enduring deranged fantasy is to be diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and then hotwire a Bradley and then prowl the streets smashing into oblivion every double-parked ghetto cruiser, Uber eats, and every other you-know-what.

[Fungi]

And your freedom dependent on someone else? At least you can rent your garage out to an illegal.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I just asked Grok where Waymo is providing paid rides around Mountain view. It says:

"Waymo expanded its Waymo One autonomous ride-hailing service to Mountain View, Palo Alto, Los Altos, and parts of Sunnyvale, starting March 11, 2025. The service operates across a 27-square-mile area, initially available to select Waymo One riders in the service area, with plans to gradually expand to more customers. Rides are hailed via the Waymo One app, using fully electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles. Waymo reports over 250,000 paid rides per week across its markets, including the Bay Area."

Grok says it's an opaque process to become a "select Waymo One rider."

▶︎ You have to reside in the Service Area.
▶︎ You must download the Waymo One App.
▶︎ You have to join the waitlist or sign up in the app.
▶︎ Then you have to check the app regularly for notifications, as Waymo contacts waitlisted users via the app or email when access is granted.
▶︎ Finally, you have to wait for an invitation.

Access in the Mountain View area is currently limited to a select group, and Waymo hasn’t specified exact criteria (e.g., demographics, ride frequency). Invitations are sent based on factors like location, app engagement, or random selection. Users on Reddit reported contacting Waymo Support and being told to wait for an invite, with no clear timeline.

So its not like calling an Uber and having your ride at your door in five minutes.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I met a guy recently at a men’s meeting. He is 80 years old and bought a Tesla last December for its autonomous driving capability. He figures that the Tesla self-driving feature will let him keep independent and mobile for more years. He says about 85% of the miles he’s put on have been in the autonomous mode. I had not thought about the autonomous mode helping people remain independent and mobile longer into their “golden” years. I’m 73 and it won’t be long before it’s my turn to hang up the keys.

[DIRTYSECRET]

**At least you can rent your garage out to an illegal.**

Why didn’t I think of that? Keep thinkin’.

[BeauBo]

“I’m 73 and it won’t be long before it’s my turn to hang up the keys.”

Not just you - all of humanity.

Humans behind the wheel are one of the biggest killers in society. Even the young get tired, drunk, or sneeze while driving. Robot self driving doesn’t make those kind of fatal errors, and will likely get much better, every year from now on.

How long until insurance companies charge such a premium for human drivers, that almost everyone will choose to ride, rather than drive?

[Metrobank]

How many have been destroyed in left run cities like San Francisco? Also, very expensive cars on a Jaquar body and expensive technology? How much money are they losing while ramping up?

[BeauBo]

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“How long until insurance companies charge such a premium for human drivers, that almost everyone will choose to ride, rather than drive?”

Excellent question. What’s your guess? 20 years?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

"How much money are they losing while ramping up?"

Did you see the article about Alphabet's earnings about 90 minutes ago? I think they can afford the ramp-up costs.

Alphabet shares rise on stronger-than-expected revenue growth [Google]

[DIRTYSECRET]

Independent-definately.

Think of all the wifi work that can get done. No need for the highway patrol or auto insurance. Lower taxes/bills.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“No need for the highway patrol or auto insurance.”

As long as President Trump rids us of all illegals. Wait...they don’t buy insurance anyway.

[algore]

I have never seen a self driving car, as far as I know they don't really exist

[Polanski]

Fully automated driving will be like less pilots causes in plane crashes, the #s over time will be great life savers but will take time to adjust.

Pilots in modern planes just only take controls when things go wrong and they usually screw it up when they do.

[Mozzafiato]

I’ve taken Waymo probably two dozen times in San Francisco and it’s been a fantastic experience thus far. Clean cars, smooth rides, no chatty drivers to distract you when you just want to write emails or texts or just relax. The cars drive much better than an Uber or Lyft driver.