Waymo robotaxis now offer driverless rides on Austin-area freeways

Waymo robotaxis now offer driverless rides on Austin-area freeways. The company began operating on Austin-area freeways on Tuesday, allowing customers to book rides on the Uber app and experience highway driving. This marks a significant expansion of Waymo's service in Texas, with the company planning to gradually add more highway trips for more customers. The service is active on all freeways in the company's Austin service area, including Interstate 35, MoPac Expressway, U.S. 183, and U.S. 290.

• Waymo's driverless robotaxis are now offering customers rides on Austin-area freeways.
• The service is part of a gradual rollout, with more highway trips added over time.
• Austin joins Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Miami on the growing list of cities where Waymo vehicles travel on highways.
• The company claims the service reflects its safety-first approach and the millions of fully autonomous freeway miles already driven.
• Waymo has faced scrutiny in Austin, including reports of a Waymo vehicle striking and killing a pet cat and blocking an ambulance.
• The company has also been under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration due to multiple crashes in Austin and Dallas.

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