Waymo has secured a substantial $5.6 billion in funding to expand its robotaxi services, further solidifying its presence in cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix.
The funding round, led by Alphabet (Google’s parent company), has increased Waymo's total capital raised to an impressive $11.1 billion, showcasing strong investor confidence.
Co-CEOs Tekedra Mawakana and Dmitri Dolgov revealed that the new funds will enhance the Waymo Driver for various business applications, including expanding its ride-hailing services in new cities.
Waymo operates a commercial robotaxi service, conducting over 100,000 trips weekly, proving to be a preferred option for passengers with safety concerns about human drivers.
Despite intense competition in the autonomous vehicle sector, Waymo stands out as the only company currently providing commercial robotaxi services in major U.S. cities.
Waymo's driverless vehicles have completed over 25 million miles on public roads, further establishing its technological edge in the autonomous vehicle landscape.
The partnership with Uber will enable Waymo to launch its robotaxi services in Austin and Atlanta, allowing riders to access robotaxis exclusively through the Uber app.
Although Waymo leads in autonomous driving technology, it continues to face financial challenges, with significant losses reported despite growing revenues from its “Other Bets” division.
Future plans include testing robotaxis in harsher weather and complex urban environments, extending its services beyond the current sunny regions of California.
With its recent funding success, Waymo aims to solidify its position as the leading player in the robotaxi market, as competitors like Tesla and GM’s Cruise face operational setbacks.