Waymo revealed on Tuesday it will launch Robotaxi services in Washington, D.C., through its Waymo One app, starting in 2026.
Tech giant Alphabet’s autonomous driving initiative, Waymo, has declared its intention to expand robotaxi services to Washington, DC, marking the city as the next step in its growth.
The company plans to introduce the Waymo One ride-hailing service in the nation’s capital by 2026. The update follows Waymo’s earlier statement about commercial robotaxi deployment in Miami, scheduled for early 2026.
Waymo Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana highlighted Waymo One is making autonomous driving a reality for millions across the U.S. She expressed enthusiasm about bringing the service’s comfort, consistency, and safety to Washington, D.C., catering to residents, daily commuters, visitors, and millions of tourists each year.
To commence commercial operations, the company needs to strengthen its advocacy efforts in the capital, where current regulations for autonomous vehicle permits mandate the presence of a human driver. Waymo One is currently active in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, and Phoenix while also operating in Austin and Atlanta through collaboration with Uber.
At present, Waymo’s robotaxis navigates the streets and routes with a safety driver positioned behind the wheel to take control in case of any issues—a precaution mandated by the current regulations in the District of Columbia.
Waymo has been mapping Washington with its robotaxis since late January, after a brief trial run in the city last year.
If Waymo’s initiative succeeds, Washington and Miami will become part of its current robotaxi network. The company reports that by the end of last year, it had provided over 4 million driverless rides to paying customers and is now operating at a rate of 200,000 paid trips each week.
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