Waymo has begun opening its fully autonomous robotaxi service to members of the public in Las Vegas, making the city its 15th market. The Alphabet-owned company is initially inviting riders on a rolling basis, just weeks after receiving final approval from Nevada transportation regulators.
The launch starts with dozens of Waymo’s new Ojai minivans operating across an area that includes the Las Vegas Strip south of Highway 589 and extends into Boulder Junction. Riders currently need to request an invitation and receive an access code, although Waymo typically removes those restrictions within a month or two of beginning service in a new city.
Las Vegas Becomes an Early Market for the Ojai
In its official Las Vegas announcement, Waymo said residents and visitors can now begin taking fully autonomous trips in the city. Las Vegas is also among the first markets where its fleet will primarily use the Ojai, Waymo’s newest robotaxi equipped with its sixth-generation autonomous driving system.
Waymo introduced the Ojai to public riders earlier this year. The minivan was designed specifically for autonomous ride-hailing and includes a flat floor, large interior displays and accessibility features such as embedded braille and screen-reader compatibility.
The Las Vegas expansion follows launches earlier this month in Denver, San Diego and Tampa. Waymo also operates robotaxi services in cities including Austin, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, Phoenix and the San Francisco Bay Area, while service in San Antonio has been paused.
Nevada Approves Thousands of Potential Robotaxis
Waymo received permission from the Nevada Transportation Authority to operate a commercial autonomous vehicle network in Clark County. Its permit allows up to 1,000 vehicles during the first 12 months, although the company’s initial Las Vegas fleet is considerably smaller.
Tesla and Uber have also received regulatory approval in Nevada. Tesla can deploy as many as 5,000 vehicles, while Uber has approval for up to 1,000 robotaxis through partnerships that include Hyundai subsidiary Motional and Zoox.
Zoox already operates a commercial robotaxi service in Las Vegas, while Tesla and Motional are preparing their own services. Together, the permits held by Waymo, Tesla and Uber could allow as many as 7,000 additional autonomous vehicles across Clark County over the next year, though the companies are not expected to immediately reach those limits.
Waymo currently operates more than 4,000 robotaxis across its U.S. markets. The company said its Las Vegas fleet and service territory will expand as more riders gain access.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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