Subject: Waymo Update
I was recently in Phoenix and noticed Waymo's zipping around everywhere. In March, Waymo weekly paid rides reached 500,000.
https://insideevs.com/news/791...

The company is moving toward a target of serving over 1 million rides per week by the end of this year.

Impressive. At some point, Waymo might be worth something.
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The following was generated by Gemini AI. Note the 5 year forecast at bottom with ridership doubling every year.

Waymo's growth from mid-2023 to early 2026 has been marked by a 50x increase in weekly ridership, driven by the removal of waitlists in San Francisco and Los Angeles, followed by a rapid expansion into Texas and the Southeast.

Waymo Weekly Paid Ride Statistics (Aug 2023 – Mar 2026)

The following table highlights the exponential trajectory of weekly trips as reported in investor letters and company disclosures.
Date Estimated Weekly Paid Rides Strategic Milestone
August 2023 10,000 Paid service begins in San Francisco.
January 2024 33,000 Freeway testing begins in Phoenix.
June 2024 75,000 Waitlist removed for all riders in SF.
August 2024 100,000 Surpassed 100k weekly rides milestone.
October 2024 150,000 Scaling operations in Los Angeles.
April 2025 250,000 250k weekly rides across 4 major cities.
December 2025 450,000 Reached 10 million lifetime paid rides.
March 2026 500,000 Current Peak: 500k weekly rides across 10 cities.

Vehicle Fleet Expansion: Moving Beyond the Jaguar

While the Jaguar I-PACE has been the face of Waymo's service for years, the company is actively transitioning to a multi-platform strategy to reduce costs and improve the rider experience.

1. The Waymo Ojai (Zeekr Partnership)

The most significant addition to the fleet is the Waymo Ojai (formerly known as the Zeekr RT or Zeekr M-Vision).
Manufacturer: Zeekr (a luxury electric brand under Geely).

Commercial Status: After years of testing, the Ojai officially entered commercial service in February 2026.

Design Features: This is a "purpose-built" robotaxi. It features a flat floor, a high ceiling for easy entry, and notably no B-pillar (the center post between doors), which allows for massive sliding doors. It was renamed "Ojai" in early 2026 to better resonate with U.S. consumers.

2. The Hyundai IONIQ 5

In late 2024 and 2025, Waymo confirmed a major multi-year partnership with Hyundai.
Integration: The IONIQ 5 is the primary platform for Waymo’s 6th-generation Driver.
Manufacturing: These vehicles are being integrated with Waymo's sensor suite at Hyundai's "Metaplant" in Georgia and a dedicated facility in Mesa, Arizona.

Role: The IONIQ 5 is expected to become the "high-volume" workhorse of the fleet by late 2026 and 2027, eventually matching or surpassing the Jaguar I-PACE in total numbers.

As of April 2026, Waymo has significantly accelerated its roadmap, recently hitting a milestone of 10 active commercial metropolitan areas. The company is moving toward a target of serving over 1 million rides per week by the end of this year.

Below are the details regarding the 2026 rollout schedule and the cities currently in the "pipeline."

1. Recent and Active Rollouts (Early 2026)

In a major expansion on February 24, 2026, Waymo opened its service to the public in four cities simultaneously.
Miami, FL: Following extensive "rain testing," the service officially went live for the public in January/February 2026.
Atlanta, GA: Now fully operational as a commercial market.
Dallas, TX: Public riders are now being accepted.
Houston, TX: Public riders are now being accepted.
San Antonio, TX: Public riders are now being accepted.
Orlando, FL: Public riders are now being accepted.

2. Scheduled & Confirmed for 2026

The next major "flagship" city for Waymo is the nation's capital.
Washington, D.C.: Waymo has been laying the groundwork (mapping and emergency responder training) throughout 2025. The official public launch is scheduled for mid-to-late 2026. This will be a high-profile rollout given the complex traffic and regulatory environment of the District.

3. Active "Mapping & Testing" Phase (Prospects for Late 2026/2027)

Waymo has identified a list of eight other cities where they are currently collecting data or navigating local regulations.While official "public launch" dates for these have not been set, they are the most likely next candidates:
Las Vegas, NV
Detroit, MI
Boston, MA
Seattle, WA (User testimonials already mention "can't wait for the Seattle expansion," indicating active testing).
London, UK: Notably, Waymo has signaled that London is likely to be its first international expansion city.
Summary of Waymo's 2026 Footprint

Status Cities
Established (Pre-2026) Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin
Newly Launched (Q1 2026) Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Orlando
Upcoming (Late 2026) Washington, D.C.
In Development Las Vegas, Detroit, Boston, Seattle, London (UK)

Strategic Context: The 6th-Gen Driver

The speed of these 2026 rollouts is largely due to the 6th-Generation Waymo Driver. This new hardware suite (now being integrated into the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and the Waymo Ojai/Zeekr) is designed to be more cost-effective and faster to calibrate for new cities.

5 Year Growth Forecast

Date Weekly_Rides
2027 1,000000
2028 1,839,232
2029 3,388,427
2030 6,232,104
2031 11,462,287