Waymo’s Breakout Year: New Cities, Ojai Robotaxis, and a Hard Look from Regulators

Waymo’s 2026: Rapid expansion, new robotaxi platform, and sharper regulatory scrutiny

Alphabet’s robotaxi unit is in its most ambitious year yet. In 2026, Waymo opened four new metro areas, won a sweeping California approval to expand service across 18 counties, began putting its next‑generation “Ojai” robotaxis into passenger service, and navigated a high‑profile recall and federal investigations—all while steadily growing ridership and rider‑only miles. Here’s where things stand as of October 18, 2026.

Expansion milestones

• Four‑city public launch on February 24: Waymo began welcoming the first public riders in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando, saying the additions brought its total commercial metros to 10 and were critical to a push toward serving “over one million rides per week by the end of this year.” The rollouts started with invite waves and are expanding in phases. (waymo.com )
• Statewide momentum in California: On August 14, the California Public Utilities Commission approved Waymo’s Advice Letters 0004 and 0004‑A, clearing the company to charge for fully driverless rides across a much wider footprint—including all nine Bay Area counties and new markets in Sacramento and San Diego—plus authorization to use its Ojai vehicle platform. (cpuc.ca.gov )
• Ridership growth: By late March 2026, Waymo’s weekly paid rides had climbed to roughly 500,000, according to industry reporting, building on the company’s own 2025 claim that it was delivering “over 1 million fully autonomous rides every month” and targeting 1 million per week by year‑end 2026. (techcrunch.com )

New hardware: Ojai and the 6th‑generation Waymo Driver

Waymo’s fleet transition accelerated this year with the debut of Ojai—a purpose‑built, all‑electric robotaxi manufactured in partnership with Zeekr—and the rollout of the company’s 6th‑generation autonomous driving system.

• Gen‑6 autonomy stack: On February 12, Waymo said it would begin fully autonomous operations with its 6th‑generation Waymo Driver, emphasizing a streamlined, lower‑cost sensor suite (high‑resolution cameras, lidar, imaging radar, and external audio receivers) designed to sustain operations in harsher weather and scale to “tens of thousands of units per year.” (waymo.com )
• Ojai enters passenger service: On May 28, Waymo began welcoming its first public riders into the Ojai, highlighting an accessibility‑forward cabin (flat floor, large doors, braille, screen‑reader support) and noting that Ojai will be the first to debut the 6th‑generation Driver. Initial rider access rolled out in San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles, with additional cities to follow. (waymo.com )
• From Zeekr RT to Ojai: Waymo confirmed in CPUC filings and industry coverage that the Zeekr‑built platform previously referenced as “RT/CM1e” has been rebranded as the Waymo Ojai. (cpuc.ca.gov )

Safety, recalls, and the freeway pause—then resumption

Spring and summer brought the toughest test yet of Waymo’s expansion on highways. After opening freeway routes in late 2025, the company temporarily paused them nationwide in May 2026, issued a recall of nearly 3,900 vehicles to address freeway construction‑zone behavior, and then began restoring freeway trips in late July.

• May 21 pause: Waymo suspended freeway rides across U.S. markets while it updated software “to improve performance around construction zones and flooded roadways,” and also paused certain operations in Atlanta. (techcrunch.com )
• June 17 recall (26E035): Waymo filed a Part 573 safety recall covering 3,871 vehicles with 5th‑generation ADS capable of driverless freeway operation, citing cases where AVs entered freeway construction zones due to misprioritized hazards or failure to recognize closures. Operational freeway restrictions remained in place pending remedies. (static.nhtsa.gov )
• July 29 restoration: Following software fixes and additional protocols, Waymo started bringing robotaxis back to freeways, resuming highway segments in San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. (techcrunch.com )

Federal scrutiny after child collision and school‑bus incidents

Two federal probes added pressure to Waymo’s safety narrative in 2026.

• Child collision in Santa Monica: On January 23, a Waymo AV struck a 9‑year‑old pedestrian near a school zone. The National Transportation Safety Board opened an investigation (HWY26FH008) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration subsequently initiated a Preliminary Evaluation (PE26001). Waymo later told reporters it had turned over documents requested by regulators. (ntsb.gov )
• School‑bus compliance: In a separate, earlier probe (PE25013), NHTSA has been examining the Waymo Driver’s behavior around stopped school buses after a January 2026 Austin incident. That inquiry remains part of the wider federal oversight picture. (static.nhtsa.gov )

By the numbers: miles, service areas, and where you can (and can’t) ride

• Rider‑only miles: Waymo reports 271.3 million fully driverless rider‑only miles through June 2026 across its operating cities, a figure it updates on a public safety dashboard. (waymo.com )
• Airports and freeways
  • San Francisco International (SFO): Autonomous rides with Waymo are available to select users as part of the final phase of a pilot program; the company previously highlighted phases to expand airport access. (flysfo.com )
  • Phoenix Sky Harbor: Waymo offers 24/7 curbside pickups at Terminals 3 and 4. (support.google.com )
  • Los Angeles International (LAX): Waymo’s LA page still notes it does not serve LAX directly; riders typically connect via nearby transit nodes. (waymo.com )

Community pushback and local politics

Even as California regulators broadened Waymo’s authority, not all local leaders are on board. On January 15, San Diego’s Metropolitan Transit System board voted to oppose expansion of driverless services like Waymo’s without stronger local oversight, and to press CPUC/DMV on the issue—foreshadowing tense rollouts despite the state’s green light. (kpbs.org )

Data partnerships: Helping cities fix roads

Waymo and fellow Alphabet unit Waze launched a pothole‑data pilot this spring. Waymo’s robotaxis flag potholes via their perception stack; Waze then routes verified reports to a free city dashboard and updates the consumer app. Initial pilots cover multiple metros, including Los Angeles and Atlanta. (waymo.com )

What to watch heading into late 2026

• Measured California rollouts: With CPUC approval in hand, expect gradual service activations in newly cleared counties (including Sacramento and San Diego), shaped by city engagement and operational readiness. (cpuc.ca.gov )
• Fleet transition pace: How fast Ojai and the 6th‑gen Driver displace 5th‑gen Jaguar I‑PACE vehicles will influence costs, utilization, and reliability through winter. (waymo.com )
• Freeway normalization: Sustained highway operations will be a bellwether for Waymo’s ability to shorten trip times and open airport links while maintaining safety margins after the construction‑zone fixes. (techcrunch.com )
• The million‑rides‑per‑week target: Hitting this by year‑end will depend on continued city launches, California activations, and stable freeway performance. (techcrunch.com )

Timeline: Key 2026 dates

• Jan 23: Child collision in Santa Monica; NTSB and NHTSA open probes. (ntsb.gov )
• Feb 12: Waymo details 6th‑generation Driver. (waymo.com )
• Feb 24: Public launches in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Orlando. (waymo.com )
• May 21: Nationwide freeway pause. (investing.com )
• Jun 17: NHTSA recall 26E035 filed. (static.nhtsa.gov )
• Jul 29: Freeways begin reopening. (techcrunch.com )
• Aug 14: CPUC approves major California expansion and Ojai platform. (cpuc.ca.gov )

The bottom line

Waymo is scaling faster, in more places, with a new platform and a higher‑capacity autonomy stack. But 2026 has also underscored how quickly growth collides with real‑world edge cases—and regulators. The coming months will show whether software fixes, freeway resiliency, and careful market sequencing can keep the company on pace for its million‑rides‑per‑week ambition while maintaining (and proving) safety at scale. (techcrunch.com )