As promised, robotaxi developer Waymo is expanding its Waymo One service to new US cities. The latest on its service map is Miami, which will see a start of robotaxi testing operations next year before Waymo opens up public rides to all customers. ¡Hasta pronto, Miami!
The world is still not completely sold on the plausibility of full-fledged robotaxi operations across major metropolitan areas, but Waymo remains confident in that exciting future of mobility and is trekking forward in its operations while others falter.
With the financial backing of parent company Alphabet Inc. (Google) and a recent influx of cash to the tune of $5.6 billion (with a “b”) from other investment firms, Waymo has been able to expand robotaxi operations in cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco and Phoenix.
At the time of the Series C funding announcement mentioned above, the mobility company detailed plans to expand its Waymo-One rideshare services to new cities like Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia in 2025 through an ongoing partnership with Uber.
Additionally, Waymo shared it has already begun Waymo testing its system in cities with more complex environments, like Buffalo, New York, and Washington, D.C. However, Waymo’s latest market entry is none of these. Instead, Waymo announced it will begin testing robotaxi rides in Miami.
Waymo to offer robotaxi rides to Miami riders by 2026
According to a blog post from Waymo this morning, Miami is the next city joining its robotaxi service map through a new commercial fleet partnership with Moove announced on December 4. Under the agreement, Moove will manage and dispatch Waymo’s fully autonomous robotaxi fleet, beginning with operations in Phoenix in 2025 before expanding to Miami.
Waymo previously tested its robotaxi technology in The Sunshine State due to its rainy conditions, which helped the company fine-tune its self-driving technology under less-than-ideal conditions. However, Waymo never rolled out public robotaxi rides in the state and instead focused on more agreeable climates on the West Coast.
Beginning in early 2025, Waymo said it will “reacquaint” its Jaguar I-PACE robotaxi EVs (seen above) to the vibrant streets of Miami before initiating public rides, which are expected to begin in 2026. Waymo’s vice president of operations, Ryan McNamara elaborated:
We are excited to partner with Moove in Phoenix and later Miami, bringing together their mobility-focused fleet management experience with our growing Waymo One service. Together, we will provide safe, seamless trips for riders, and scale faster and more cost-effectively over time, with safety continuing to lead the way.
Keep an eye out for Waymo testing its robotaxi technology around Miami in 2025 before users can hail a ride of their own through the Waymo One app sometime in 2026.
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