transportation

Robotaxi company Waymo to start appearing on San Diego roads

The cars will be trying to navigate unfamiliar streets in San Diego and Las Vegas to begin with, then make the trip to at least eight other cities

A Waymo robtaxi
Getty Images

A Waymo robtaxi

San Diegans may see soon see Waymo's driverless cars on local streets soon.

The vehicles, owned by the autonomous-vehicle taxi company, won't be picking up passengers yet, however. Instead, the company tweeted out, they'll be part of a project to advance artificial intelligence.

The cars will be trying to navigate unfamiliar streets in San Diego and Las Vegas to begin with, then make the trip to at least eight other cities.

For now, there are no plans for Waymo to begin robotaxi service in San Diego. It's already picking up passengers elsewhere, however, including in Los Angeles and Santa Monica.

Until now, they've only been on operation on city streets, but in the coming weeks, Waymo said, its cars will drive on major freeways Interstates 10 and 405, as well as the Imperial Highway.

The company said freeway rides will first be available for employees and, then, the general public.

Waymo's autonomous vehicles are not the first to travel local roads. Cruise, a self-driving car company based out of San Francisco, was spotted testing its vehicles in the Gaslamp Quarter in August 2023.

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