Waymo has opened its robotaxi service to the public in Nashville, marking the 11th city where users can hail its self-driving vehicles as the company continues expanding its operations.
Service Rolls Out Gradually Across City
Waymo said it will begin inviting riders on a rolling basis rather than opening access to all users at once. The company said this approach is intended to allow controlled scaling while maintaining service quality.
The service will initially cover a 60-square-mile area of Nashville. Waymo said it has deployed “dozens” of vehicles in the city but did not provide an exact fleet size.
Lyft Partnership Introduces Dual Booking Model
In Nashville, Waymo is partnering with Lyft, marking a shift from its existing partnerships in other cities.
Riders will initially book robotaxis through the Waymo app. As the service expands, vehicles will also become available through the Lyft app. Lyft will manage fleet-related operations, including maintenance, charging infrastructure, and depot services, through its subsidiary Flexdrive.
This setup differs from Waymo’s arrangements with Uber in cities like Austin and Atlanta, where users must request rides through the Uber app and may be matched with either a human driver or a robotaxi.
Expansion Reflects Mixed Operating Strategy
Waymo has adopted a hybrid approach to scaling its robotaxi services. In some markets, such as San Francisco, it operates independently, while in others it partners with companies to handle fleet management and operations.
For example, Avis manages depot operations in Dallas, while Moove oversees fleet operations in Phoenix and is expected to support future expansion in London.
These partnerships indicate Waymo’s longer-term strategy of positioning itself as a technology provider rather than a full-service operator.
Robotaxi Network Continues To Grow
Waymo now operates paid robotaxi services across multiple cities, including Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, Orlando, Phoenix, San Antonio, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
The company, which is owned by Alphabet, has secured $16 billion in new funding, supporting its continued expansion across U.S. markets.
Featured image credits: flickr
For more stories like it, click the +Follow button at the top of this page to follow us.