Waymo Has Arrived In SoCal. What To Know About The Robotaxi

LOS ANGELES, CA — Angelenos can now hail a ride from the world's first automated taxi company as Waymo officially opened its services in Los Angeles this week.

Waymo, which began offering driverless rides in San Francisco last year, first began offering rides in LA to a limited group of passengers who were on a waiting list of more than 300,000 people. Beginning Tuesday, anyone with the Waymo One app can request a ride.

From Santa Monica Pier to Downtown, the robotaxi service is offering rides around a 79-square-mile radius in Los Angeles. The ride-hailing company, which can hold up to four passengers, says its cars have more than 20 million miles of driving experience.

California regulators first allowed the company to send its driverless cars out on the road in San Francisco just over a year ago. Waymo is now competing with ride-hailing services Uber and Lyft in the Golden State.

“Now is an exciting time to welcome everyone in Los Angeles along for the ride,” Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO of Waymo said on Tuesday. “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.”

The company says Waymo riders surveyed in LA reported that 98% were satisfied with the service and 96% found it useful.

"Riding with Waymo was an incredible experience—smooth, safe, and truly impressive,” said Tisha Janigan, founder of She is Hope, said on Tuesday, according to Waymo's latest blog post.

“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.”