Waymo, the leading autonomous vehicle company, has accelerated its rollout of self-driving taxis by adding four new cities: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and St. Louis. This expansion marks a significant milestone as the company ventures into regions known for challenging winter weather, testing both its vehicles and autonomous systems under harsher conditions.
Waymo follows a phased approach in new markets, beginning with manual driving by specialists to map the area, understand local traffic patterns, and gather roadway data. This is followed by autonomous testing with safety drivers supervising, before launching fully driverless ride-hailing services. The company is currently at varying stages of this process across the new cities.
In Philadelphia, Waymo has advanced beyond manual mapping and is now testing autonomous vehicles with safety drivers on board. While a public launch of the fully driverless service is planned, no specific timeline has been announced. Community support is growing, with organizations like Best Buddies welcoming the prospect of improved accessible transportation options for people with disabilities.
Pittsburgh, a city with a rich history in autonomous vehicle development, will see Waymo initially deploy its fifth- and sixth-generation autonomous fleet through manual driving. The company projects a possible public launch by 2026 but remains cautious to ensure its systems are fully validated on Pittsburgh’s complex, often snowy roads before operating without human operators.
Waymo’s expansion also includes Baltimore and St. Louis, where manual driving operations have just commenced. In Baltimore, the company is collaborating with state officials to establish suitable regulations prior to launching public services. Maryland Governor Wes Moore has expressed strong support, citing anticipated benefits in economic growth and road safety. In St. Louis, Waymo is preparing its all-electric Jaguar I-PACE fleet for future autonomous operations.
Choosing cities that face snow and icy road conditions highlights Waymo’s increasing confidence in its technology’s ability to handle adverse weather. Until now, most Waymo operations have been in sunlit cities like Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. This expansion, alongside other planned markets such as Tampa, Minneapolis, and Dallas, reflects the growing maturity and geographic reach of autonomous electric vehicles.
As Waymo scales up, the company will continue working closely with city and state officials to integrate autonomous vehicles into existing transportation networks. Currently operating in five major cities, these new additions signal a robust pipeline of future markets for the company’s robotaxi service.
