This launch follows an eight-month trial period during which over 300,000 people on a waiting list were able to experience the service.

However, Waymo has faced challenges, including a U.S. government investigation into crashes and high-profile accidents that have raised safety concerns.

Waymo has officially launched its fully autonomous robotaxi service in Los Angeles, enabling residents and visitors to hail self-driving cars through the Waymo One app.

The service currently operates within an 80-square-mile area stretching from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica, which represents less than 20% of the city's total area.

As the only commercial robotaxi service in the U.S., Waymo competes with companies like General Motors' Cruise and Amazon's Zoox, both of which are also advancing their autonomous vehicle technologies.

Waymo, a pioneer in self-driving technology, has evolved from Google's self-driving car project, which began in 2009, to launching its first U.S. driverless taxi service in 2020.

The company reports conducting over 150,000 paid rides weekly, a significant increase from 100,000 rides in August 2024, demonstrating growing user adoption.

While Waymo's ride-hailing prices are generally comparable to those of Uber and Lyft, they may be slightly higher at times, and users are unable to tip the robot drivers.

The Waymo service has gained traction among women and parents, who appreciate its safety and reliability for transporting children.

Residents have reported issues such as Waymo cars honking excessively at night, but the company has implemented fixes to address these concerns.

Despite its advancements, Waymo is still operating at a loss, with its parent company Alphabet reporting a $3.3 billion loss in its 'Other Bets' division for the first nine months of 2024.

Waymo's fleet in Los Angeles includes around 100 electric Jaguar I-Pace SUVs, with plans to transition to the more cost-effective Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV next year.