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Waymo on Tuesday began welcoming its first public riders in Denver, San Diego and Tampa, expanding its fully autonomous ride-hailing service to 14 cities.
The Alphabet-owned self-driving car company said tens of thousands of people in each newly launched market have already signed up for access. The company plans to gradually add riders before eventually opening the service to all users.
“From coast to coast, we’re focused on making everyday transportation safer, easier and more accessible,” Suzanne Philion, chief marketing officer at Waymo, said in a statement.
“Launching public rides in San Diego, Tampa and in my home state of Colorado brings our newest vehicle platform and next-generation driver to more riders who are ready to experience the future of mobility.”
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Waymo said its service areas are designed to connect riders with the places they “actually need to go and want to go,” including for errands, rides home from work and late-night trips.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis praised the Denver launch, saying it expands “clean mobility choices for Coloradans.”
“Colorado is leading the country in clean energy and innovation, and Waymo’s launch helps us achieve cleaner air sooner,” Polis said. “This significant investment expands clean mobility choices for Coloradans. We are proud to support forward-thinking solutions that lead to economic growth and build a safer, cleaner transportation future across our state.”
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Waymo said it has spent months preparing for the launches by validating its autonomous driving technology on local roads, working with first responders and partnering with community groups.
The company also cited safety data showing that the Waymo Driver was involved in 94% fewer crashes involving serious injuries or worse than human drivers operating over the same distance.
Waymo has been rapidly expanding its footprint.
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Last month, the company said it plans to scale up service across the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles while launching robotaxi operations in Sacramento and San Diego. It also announced plans to bring Waymo to Munich, Germany.
In February, Waymo opened its fully autonomous ride-hailing service to public riders in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Orlando.
FOX Business’ Michael Sinkewicz contributed to this report.
