Waymo fully launched its robotaxi service in Houston on August 20, opening rides to anyone who downloads the app and eliminating the waitlist and invitation requirements that had governed access since the service began its phased rollout in February4,5.
The move marks Houston as Waymo's latest city to reach general availability. Since opening its Houston service approximately six months ago, Waymo has welcomed more than 100,000 riders from its interest list, the company said. "Since opening our service in February, we've welcomed more than 100,000 riders in Houston from our interest list to experience the safety, reliability, and magic of Waymo, and now we're offering our service to everyone," Waymo wrote.
Riders request trips through the Waymo app, as they would with a traditional rideshare service. Waymo's vehicles use cameras, sensors, and other technology to navigate roads and make driving decisions without a human behind the wheel.
Separately, Waymo registered an Ojai minivan robotaxi in Texas, according to The Business Journals3. The Ojai is Waymo's next-generation vehicle, which the company opened to all users in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix on August 19 ctx.
Alphabet Inc. shares rose on the Houston expansion news1,2.
The Houston launch arrives during a period of intensifying competition in the U.S. robotaxi market. Amazon subsidiary Zoox recently expanded its fully driverless service to San Francisco and Las Vegas ctx.
ANALYSIS Houston's transition from waitlist to open access follows the same phased playbook Waymo has used in other cities — controlled early access followed by general availability. The registration of an Ojai vehicle in Texas suggests Waymo may be preparing to deploy its newer hardware in Houston, which currently operates its existing fleet. The 100,000-rider figure during the waitlist phase provides a baseline for gauging demand growth now that access restrictions have been removed.