Waymo Launches 24/7 Robotaxis in Silicon Valley
Waymo is officially opening up its fully driverless robotaxi service to the public in Silicon Valley, marking a significant milestone for the company in the place where its journey began. Starting today, Waymo One — the company’s autonomous ride-hailing app — will operate 24/7 across a 27-square-mile area that includes Mountain View, Palo Alto, Los Altos, and parts of Sunnyvale.
Initially, access will be limited. Only a select group of Waymo One customers living within specific zip codes will be invited to use the service. Over time, Waymo plans to gradually expand availability and recommends that interested riders check the app for updates.
Until now, Waymo’s robotaxis in Silicon Valley were only available to its own employees. This new rollout brings public access to the same technology already in operation in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and most recently Austin, where Waymo partnered with Uber to match riders with driverless cars.
A Full Circle Moment
Silicon Valley isn’t just another expansion market for Waymo — it’s home. The company’s roots trace back to Google’s self-driving car project, launched in 2009 under the experimental "X" moonshot lab. Back then, Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin challenged the team to complete fully autonomous drives along ten different 100-mile routes across the Valley. By 2010, the project had achieved that ambitious goal.
That moonshot later graduated to become Waymo, which is now headquartered just a few miles from the original Googleplex campus. Today’s launch represents a return to those early proving grounds — only now, with a commercially viable, fully autonomous product.
“Opening our fully autonomous ride-hailing service in Silicon Valley marks a special milestone in our Bay Area journey,” said Saswat Panigrahi, Chief Product Officer at Waymo. “This is where Waymo began and where we’re headquartered. Now we’re bringing seamless rides, safer streets, and sustainable transportation to our local community.”
What's Next
The initial phase of the Silicon Valley rollout is invite-only, but Waymo plans to scale up access as the service proves its reliability and safety. Users in the coverage area can expect rides at any hour of the day, fully driverless and managed through the Waymo One app.
As autonomous technology continues to move from research labs to city streets, Waymo’s expansion signals a growing confidence in its ability to deliver safe, convenient, and sustainable transport — right where it all began.
