California Driverless Expansion
California Regulators Approve Waymo's Driverless Ride-Hail Expansion Across 18 Counties, Reaching Most of State
Key Points
Waymo has achieved a 94% reduction in serious injury crashes across 220 million autonomous miles, underscoring strong safety performance.
California DMV approved a broad expansion last year to the Bay Area, Sacramento, and much of Southern California toward the Mexican border, paving the way for the current statewide rollout.
CPUC approval extends Waymo’s operations to 18 counties, enabling expansions in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Diego.
The rollout is planned to be gradual and guided by Waymo's safety framework, with San Diego slated to launch later this summer and Sacramento continuing to validate rider-only service.
Overall expansion is expected to reach most of California's population, highlighting the scale of the program across the state.
California regulators have approved Waymo to expand its driverless ride-hailing service across 18 counties, covering the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Diego, according to KTVU. The move puts autonomous taxis within reach of most of California's population.
The California Public Utilities Commission granted the approval, but required the rollout to be gradual and guided by Waymo's safety framework, Head Topics reported. San Diego is set to launch later this summer, while Sacramento is still being validated for rider-only service.
18-County Permit Marks California's Biggest Autonomous Milestone
The California Public Utilities Commission approved Waymo to operate across 18 counties statewide, according to SFist. Both the CPUC and the Department of Motor Vehicles signed off on the expansion. The approval covers the full Bay Area, greater Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Diego — regions that together hold the bulk of California's 39 million residents.
The rollout will not happen all at once. The Verge reported that regulators required the expansion to proceed gradually. Waymo will brief local officials along the way and continue testing in each region before opening service to the public.
Waymo Points to 94% Crash Reduction Across 220 Million Miles
Waymo leaned on a strong safety record to make its case to regulators. The company reported a 94% reduction in serious injury crashes across 220 million autonomous miles driven. That figure covers all of its driverless operations to date.
NBC Los Angeles reported that Waymo's safety data played a key role in securing the Los Angeles expansion. The company argues that its cars are significantly safer than human drivers in comparable conditions. No passengers were in the vehicles for many of those miles, as Waymo also logs autonomous testing without riders.
Sacramento Moving Slowly, San Diego Launching This Summer
Not every region is ready to open immediately. Sacramento is still in a validation phase, where Waymo tests rider-only service before a full commercial launch. Some Sacramento officials remain cautious, questioning how the autonomous cars will handle real-world conditions unique to the city.
San Diego is on a faster track. Head Topics reported the city is expected to launch later this summer. Waymo plans to hold local briefings as the rollout progresses. The company says each market will open only after it meets Waymo's internal safety standards.
How California Got Here: DMV Approvals Paved the Way
The CPUC approval did not come out of nowhere. California's DMV had already approved a broad expansion last year, clearing Waymo to operate in the Bay Area, Sacramento, and much of Southern California down toward the Mexican border, according to SFist. The CPUC permit is the final step needed to charge passengers for rides.
KTVU noted that the approvals align with California's broader push to expand access to autonomous ride-hailing statewide. Waymo is currently the only company operating a fully driverless, commercial ride-hail service in California. Competitors like Cruise have faced setbacks, leaving Waymo as the clear leader in the space.
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