Waymo is allowing teenagers ages 13 to 17 to use its fully autonomous robotaxi service in Nashville, making the city its second market with teen accounts after Phoenix. The Alphabet-owned company also plans to introduce the accounts in more cities where its operations are mature and local regulations permit them.
The expansion gives Waymo access to younger riders who often depend on parents or public transportation to reach school, work and other activities. A Waymo spokesperson told TechCrunch that Nashville would be the “first of many” additional teen account launches in the coming months.
Teen Accounts Require a Parent or Guardian
Under Waymo’s Nashville teen account launch, riders ages 13 to 17 can hail autonomous rides across the company’s 50-square-mile Nashville service area once their account is linked to a parent or guardian. Waymo already operates a similar program in Phoenix.
Once an account is activated, teens can request rides without a parent traveling with them. Waymo told TechCrunch that teen account holders can also bring up to three guests between ages 13 and 17, although the company did not explain how it would verify their ages.
Waymo provides instructions for parents and teens through its teen accounts service. The company says the accounts include features such as trip status sharing, automatic ride receipts and access to Rider Support.
Waymo Continues to Add Riders and Markets
Nashville is one of Waymo’s newer markets. The company began serving public riders there in April 2026 and has since expanded access, including making its robotaxis available through the Lyft app earlier this month.
Waymo’s paid weekly rides increased from about 50,000 in May 2024 to more than 500,000 earlier this year. Over the same period, the company launched robotaxi services in about a dozen cities, with Denver, Las Vegas, San Diego and Tampa joining its network during the past month.
Teen accounts give Waymo another group of potential riders as that network grows. The Nashville program allows teenagers to travel throughout the available service area rather than limiting rides to specific destinations such as schools or extracurricular activities.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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