Waymo opens robotaxi service to 'select riders' in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Orlando

Core Insights - Waymo has launched its robotaxi service for public passengers in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando, expanding its operations to 10 U.S. cities [1][2] Expansion and Market Position - The expansion solidifies Waymo's leadership in the North American driverless ride-hailing market, aiming to attract loyal riders and address skepticism from the public, with 60% of U.S. drivers expressing fear of driverless cars according to a 2025 survey [2] - Competitors such as Tesla, Zoox (owned by Amazon), Waabi, and Nuro are also working on their own commercial robotaxi services, while Asian leaders like Baidu's Apollo Go and WeRide are gaining market share internationally [3] Service Details - Waymo will initially invite "select riders" in the new cities who have downloaded the app, with plans to gradually increase availability and make the service generally accessible by the end of 2026 [4] - The company previously launched services in Miami and Austin, and operates in Atlanta, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area [5] Technology Utilization - For the newly launched markets, Waymo will utilize its fifth-generation driver system in Jaguar I-PACE sedans, while also testing its sixth-generation driver system in California using Geely's Ojai electric cars [6]