Waymo Hits 500,000 Paid Robotaxi Rides Per Week, a 10x Growth in Two Years

SAN FRANCISCO – March 27, 2026 – Alphabet's Waymo has announced that it is now completing 500,000 paid robotaxi rides per week across 10 U.S. cities. This represents a remarkable 10x increase from 50,000 weekly trips just two years ago, providing the clearest signal yet that autonomous ride-hailing is graduating to mainstream transportation.

Rapid Market Expansion

Waymo's growth has been fueled by an aggressive market expansion strategy. At the start of 2025, the company operated in just three cities. In February 2026, it simultaneously launched in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando, bringing its total to 10 U.S. markets. Co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov framed the acceleration: 'It took eight years to reach riders in four cities, then we launched four new markets in a single day.'

Fleet and Technology

The current fleet consists of approximately 3,000 vehicles equipped with Waymo's 5th-generation self-driving system, according to NHTSA filings. These vehicles are maintaining the 500,000 weekly ride pace consistently. Waymo is also planning the introduction of its 6th-generation autonomous vehicles, which are expected to enable further scaling.

Competitive Landscape

While Waymo's growth is impressive, the scale gap with traditional ride-hailing remains significant. Uber completed 13.5 billion trips in 2025, processing more than 1 million mobility rides per hour. However, given Waymo's growth trajectory, this gap could narrow rapidly.

Meanwhile, the gap with competing autonomous vehicle companies is widening. Tesla's robotaxi service remains limited to Austin, and Amazon's subsidiary Zoox has not yet begun commercial operations. Waymo was among seven AV companies that refused to disclose to a Senate investigation how often their cars use remote human assistance, but its market leadership is undeniable.

Future Outlook

Waymo has set a target of reaching 1 million paid rides per week during 2026. In the commercialization of autonomous driving technology, Waymo has established a commanding lead over its competitors and is solidifying its position as the company shaping the future of mobility.