Waymo's Driverless Robotaxis Hit US Freeways

Waymo just changed the game in autonomous driving. The Alphabet subsidiary, which has been testing self-driving cars since 2009, rolled out the first fully driverless freeway robotaxi service in the United States. Their vehicles now navigate highways without a human safety driver, handling speeds up to 65 mph, merging into traffic, and exiting ramps on their own.

These robotaxis, based on the Jaguar I-PACE electric SUV model, use Waymo's advanced sensor suite—lidar, radar, and cameras—to map the world in real time. The launch happened in Phoenix, Arizona, where Waymo has logged over 20 million miles of real-world driving. Riders can hail a ride via the Waymo One app, step into a car that drives itself to their destination, and arrive safely.

This milestone pushes robotics into everyday life. No more waiting for regulatory approval or tech glitches. Waymo's system has proven reliable enough for freeways, the trickiest part of urban mobility. Expect this to spread to other cities soon, making human drivers optional on major roads.

It's a quiet revolution. Cars that think and act like pros, freeing us from the wheel.