Waymo Expands Autonomous Rides to Las Vegas
Waymo has launched fully autonomous rides in Las Vegas, its fourth U.S. city to do so this month. Over 100,000 people had expressed interest in the service, which covers nearly 24 miles of roads, from Boulder Junction to Sahara Avenue.
The service area includes Allegiant Stadium and The Venetian, and follows similar launches in Denver, San Diego, and Tampa. Nashville also went live on the Lyft app earlier this month.
Waymo claims its autonomous vehicles are involved in 94% fewer serious crashes than human drivers over the same distance. The company has completed over 20 million trips.
However, the expansion to London, planned for September last year, has hit a snag. As of late August, none of the three necessary approvals had been granted, despite Waymo meeting its timeline for a passenger pilot.
Wayve currently operates 15 private hire licenses for supervised rides with a safety driver in every car. London's Transport for London (TfL) has indicated no rush to issue guidelines, suggesting a delay in applications.
Waymo's other European city is Munich, where mapping began last month, with commercial service expected in late 2027. Las Vegas took a few months of driving around to prepare.
By Darius Popa, Technology Enthusiast and Intern at The Next Web