Waymo just added freeway rides. It shaved 15 minutes off my robotaxi commute.

Core Insights - Waymo is launching freeway rides for select riders in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, establishing itself as the only fully autonomous ride-hailing service in the US for public passengers on high-speed roads [1][2] - The company has been testing fully autonomous rides on public freeways for over a year, indicating confidence in the safety of its autonomous system [2] - Freeway access is expected to enhance Waymo's competitiveness in ride-hailing by improving commute efficiency [3] Expansion Details - The rollout will initially be for members of the Trusted Tester program, with plans to gradually include more riders [4] - Freeway access will not be available in Austin and Atlanta, where Waymo has a partnership with Uber, but these cities are next on the list for expansion [4] - Waymo's coverage area in the Bay Area is expanding to include parts of San Jose, increasing the service area to over 260 square miles [6] Fleet and Coverage - Waymo plans to increase its fleet from over 800 robotaxis to more than 1,000 to support the expansion [7] - In the Bay Area, Waymo's robotaxis will operate on major freeways including 101, 80, 280, and others, while in LA and Phoenix, specific freeways have been designated for use [5] Commute Efficiency - The introduction of freeway rides is aimed at significantly reducing commute times, with some trips potentially being up to 50% faster [8][11] - A demonstration ride showed a significant time difference, with freeway access reducing a 27-minute surface road commute to just 10 minutes [9][10] Ride Experience - The Waymo robotaxi adheres closely to speed limits, typically maintaining speeds of 40 to 65 mph on freeways [12] - The robotaxi does not avoid left lanes, which are often used by faster human drivers, although it may not frequently utilize them [13]