Waymo is increasing its presence in the Bay Area, offering its public ride-hailing service to more cities on the Peninsula, furthering its objective to bring autonomous driving to all.
Following the public launch of Waymo’s commercial, driverless robotaxi service in San Francisco and its expansion to Daly City in 2024, Waymo has further increased the availability of its robotaxi service to more cities on the Peninsula, including Brisbane, South San Francisco, San Bruno, Millbrae, and Burlingame in San Mateo County on June 17, 2025.
Waymo’s mission is to be the world’s most trusted driver. Staying true to its commitment to hold traffic safety to a higher standard, they aim to offer freedom of movement for all, create a sustainable, efficient transportation ecosystem, and make the planet better than they found it.
“Waymo works closely with California state regulators, including California Public Utilities Commission, California Department of Motor Vehicles, and California Highway Patrol to comply with established safety regulations and data reporting requirements,” said Waymo public relations manager Anjelica Price-Rocha.
Waymo’s expansion in the Bay Area allows for easier access to rideshare services, connecting to travel hubs and providing new mobility options for late night travel. They serve as a transportation option for community members who may not drive, such as students and elders.
Waymo is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, allowing for rides during unconventional times. This availability makes it a more convenient and reliable option at any given time.
However, a common concern among students and riders is the safety standards of Waymo. The absence of a human driver creates uncertainty on how advanced robocar technology actually is.
Freshman Saanya Vaish recently rode inside a Waymo in San Francisco.
“It was very stressful because there’s no one driving,” Vaish said.
Though some riders don’t report having a necessarily stress-free ride due to fear and uncertainty, Waymo is confident in its technology with extensive testing covering millions of miles on public roads and billions of miles in simulation across more than 15 states.
According to Price-Rocha, Waymo goes through lengths to ensure the safety of its cars is not an issue, keeping in contact with the necessary people that keep their services running in these cities.
“We’ve been through a century where we have all burned gasoline and it caused global warming, so this is speeding up the move towards electric transportation,” said Brad Templeton, editor of Robocars.
Waymo’s fleet is currently all-electric, consisting primarily of Jaguar I-PACE SUVs. This provides a zero-emission ride for everyone, empowering people to move safely and sustainably while reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from a gas-powered car.
With the shared belief that autonomous vehicles can serve the community, improve independence, and create new mobility options, Waymo works with a diverse set of more than 100 community partners focused on youth, seniors, and people with disabilities.
“I’ve seen firsthand how having access to Waymo’s vehicles has empowered participants to go and make their own choices about where to go,” said Barbara Streett, the director of the mentor program at The Arc San Francisco. The Arc SF is a nonprofit and community partner of Waymo.
Eight years after its launch in 2009, Waymo was already rolling out free services in Phoenix, AZ, in exchange for feedback, called the “Early Rider Program.” Prior to 2020, Waymo had its services available to the public in Arizona before expanding its services to California in 2021-2022.
Waymo will slowly become more widespread in the San Francisco Bay Area. Actively testing and expanding its autonomous vehicle operations, its robotaxi service is gradually rolling out to select users in Palo Alto and Menlo Park, and its planned testing areas span various cities in Silicon Valley like Mountain View, Los Altos, Palo Alto, and Sunnyvale.
Waymo has also started testing at San Jose Mineta International Airport and will soon be testing at San Francisco International Airport.
“You’ll have the same mobility and freedom that adults have, even when you’re 14 or 15,” Templeton said.
