Waymo robotaxi service is available for driverless rides in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco
IBTimes US

Alphabet-owned Waymo announced its largest expansion in Los Angeles, effectively removing the city from its waitlist for its self-driving service.

Los Angeles will be the largest city where the robotaxi service will be made available. Los Angeles has 3.8 million people and the waitlist of Waymo already lodged 300,000 Angelenos, according to a blog post on Waymo on Tuesday.

Riders who have taken hundreds of thousands of paid trips across the city, rated the service at 4.7 out of 5 stars on average. In fact, riders recently surveyed in LA said that 98% are satisfied with service and 96% find it useful.

The company stated that starting Tuesday, those in LA will be able to utilize the Waymo One app in order to hail a robotaxi and bring them to their destination within the 80 square miles of Los Angeles County.

Waymo initially opened its service in Phoenix in 2020. Several years lapsed before Waymo opened its second location in San Francisco, where it only opened in June.

Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO of Waymo said "now is an exciting time to welcome everyone in Los Angeles along for the ride."

"Our service has matured quickly and our riders are embracing the many benefits of fully autonomous driving. We're so grateful to all of our first riders in LA, and we can't wait to serve more riders soon," he added.

Additional funding has made it possible for the company to expand its operations. It was only in October when Waymo closed a funding round of $5.6 billion. The funding allowed the company to make expansions in the U.S., NBC News reported.

Google parent Alphabet, the owner of the autonomous vehicle venture, led the "series C" investment into Waymo. There were also other investors, which include Andreessen Horowitz, Fidelity, and Perry Creek among others.

Waymo tallied approximately 150,000 paid rides every week made through the Waymo One app. This number already reflects the total rides made in the three locations where the service was already made available. The company saw an increase in number of about 100,000 from the figures in August.

In September, the company revealed that it partnered with Uber to be able to launch the service in Austin, TX, in 2025. Users could look forward to the next generation robotaxi called Geely Zeekr, which according to CNBC is a roomier taxi but with less expensive technology. This unit is also equipped with an AI "driver" and customized sensors.

Aside from its partnership with Uber, it also agreed to partner with Hyundai where the latter will be adding the Inoniq 5 electric vehicle to the robotaxi fleet.

Most of those who primarily embraced the Waymo One service include women who often have safety issues when it comes to having human drivers bring them to their locations. There were also parents who found the app useful in bringing their teenagers to school.

"Riding with Waymo was an incredible experience—smooth, safe, and truly impressive," said Tisha Janigan, founder of She is Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering single mothers in Los Angeles.

"When I rode alone and with some of our single mother families, we were amazed by the driverless technology and the sense of comfort it provided. Access to Waymo could be a game-changer for women we serve, offering a nonjudgmental, reliable transportation option that prioritizes safety," Janigan added.