Waymo launched driverless taxi operations in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando on February 24, 2026, bringing its total to 10 cities. The service initially opens to select riders in these areas. Meanwhile, competitor Tesla operates driverless robotaxis in zero cities.
Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, announced the addition of four new cities to its level 4 driverless taxi network on February 24, 2026. The expansion includes Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio in Texas, as well as Orlando in Florida, where the company already operates in Austin and Miami, respectively.
Each new service area starts with coverage of downtown regions, expanding outward. In Orlando, the area spans about 60 square miles, including parts toward resorts and Disney World, but excludes airports and highways for now. San Antonio also covers 60 square miles, Dallas 50 square miles, and Houston the smallest at 25 square miles. Waymo's rollout begins with testing involving employees, then invites select public riders via its app, with broader access expected over months.
This move increases Waymo's total to 10 cities, with 18 more planned, including international sites like London and Tokyo. The Miami service launched just a month prior, and Austin's area has grown amid competition.
In Orlando, the first official rider was Mayor Buddy Dyer, following months of test runs for select Central Florida residents.
Comparatively, Tesla, which has long claimed leadership in robotaxis through its data from millions of vehicles, currently offers no unmonitored driverless taxi services. In Austin, Tesla's rides involve a safety driver in the passenger seat and require additional mapping. It has not applied for driverless permits in California, where vehicles have human drivers. CEO Elon Musk had predicted robotaxis for half the US population by the end of 2025, a goal unmet.
Other players include Zoox, offering limited free rides on the Las Vegas Strip and planning San Francisco expansion, and formerly Cruise, which halted operations after a 2023 incident involving a pedestrian.
