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Waymo announced Friday that it is expanding its autonomous ride-hailing business across Northern and Southern California, including into two new major markets.
The Alphabet-owned company said it plans to scale up its existing services across the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles while bringing its robotaxi service to Sacramento and San Diego.
The announcement comes after the California Department of Motor Vehicles authorized Waymo to operate in the additional areas last year. On Friday, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved the company’s application to expand its autonomous ride-hailing service.
“Big news for the Golden State — we have received the CPUC’s approval to expand our autonomous ride-hailing service across the SF Bay Area and LA, and bring our service to Sacramento and San Diego,” Waymo said in a post on X.
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The company did not provide a timeline for launching service in the new areas but said the expansion would be “gradual and guided by our safety framework.”
Waymo called the regulatory approval an important step in its California expansion.
“This is an important milestone that will allow Waymo to bring the safety and mobility benefits millions of Californians already enjoy to more communities across the state,” the company said in a press release.
The company currently operates thousands of autonomous vehicles across the U.S., including in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin.
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In February, Waymo announced plans to expand into Chicago as it seeks to establish a foothold in the Midwest.
The company said it had begun “laying the early groundwork” for operations in Chicago, starting with mapping and manual vehicle testing.
Waymo has also faced several recalls this year. Most recently, the company recalled nearly 4,000 robotaxis in June after more than a dozen incidents in which autonomous vehicles entered closed freeway construction zones, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
NHTSA said a software issue could allow affected vehicles to enter closed freeway construction zones and continue traveling at posted speeds. Regulators said the vehicles could fail to recognize or properly respond to certain construction-zone closures.
FOX Business has reached out to Waymo for additional information, including when the expanded California services are expected to launch.
FOX Business’ Bradford Betz and Brittany Miller contributed to this report.
