Waymo, the autonomous vehicle subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., has expanded its self-driving vehicle operations into Denver and Seattle, placing its driverless technology in two of the most climate-challenging markets in the United States. The move comes as the company intensifies its testing efforts nationwide, adding to its existing presence in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin. The company has begun testing its electric Jaguar I-PACE SUVs and custom-built Zeekr robotaxis on public roads in both cities.
These vehicles are operating with human safety drivers on board during the initial phase. In Denver, Waymo is conducting detailed mapping of city streets while assessing local infrastructure and traffic conditions. In Seattle, the vehicles are collecting data while navigating the region’s dense urban environment and frequent rainfall. The deployments are part of Waymo’s operational testing and data collection activities, which are necessary prerequisites before it can seek regulatory approval to offer commercial autonomous rides to the public.
No timeline has been announced for when fully driverless rides will be available in either city. Waymo’s testing in Denver is designed to evaluate its systems in snowy and mountainous terrain, while operations in Seattle will test vehicle performance in high-precipitation environments. The company said these conditions provide valuable data to help refine the reliability of its driverless technology under varied and complex weather scenarios.
This expansion follows Waymo’s approval to operate autonomous vehicles at San José Mineta International Airport, extending its reach in the San Francisco Bay Area. That decision made Waymo the first company authorized to run autonomous commercial service to and from a major U.S. airport. Waymo currently operates thousands of autonomous rides weekly in cities where it has received full driverless operating permits.
Waymo deploys driverless cars in Denver and Seattle
In Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, the company has transitioned to offering commercial rides without safety drivers in the vehicle. In Austin, it continues to test with operators onboard as part of its pre-commercial phase. The company’s robotaxi fleet includes the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE equipped with the fifth-generation Waymo Driver, a system that integrates lidar, radar, cameras and onboard computing to detect and respond to dynamic road conditions.
Waymo has also introduced a new fleet of Zeekr robotaxis, designed specifically for autonomous operation and built in collaboration with Chinese automaker Geely. According to publicly available data, Waymo conducts over 250,000 autonomous rides per week across its active markets. The company continues to work closely with state and local transportation regulators to expand its geographic footprint and comply with safety and licensing requirements in each jurisdiction.
New deployments add momentum to AV sector growth
Alphabet has positioned Waymo as a long-term mobility solution underpinned by proprietary hardware and software systems. While the company does not disclose detailed financials for Waymo separately, filings indicate that autonomous technology remains one of Alphabet’s most capital-intensive ventures outside of its core advertising business. The entry into Denver and Seattle brings the total number of U.S. cities where Waymo has active road testing or commercial deployment to six. Additional locations are expected to follow, pending regulatory approval and successful safety validation.
Waymo is not offering rides to the general public in Denver or Seattle at this time. The company stated that rider services will begin only after sufficient testing, local engagement and certification from relevant authorities. The expansion reinforces Waymo’s position in the competitive autonomous vehicle sector, where it continues to scale its operations amid increased interest from regulators, city governments and transportation agencies evaluating the role of driverless technology in urban mobility networks. – By Content Syndication Services.