Overview
- An amended DMV permit allows Waymo to operate fully autonomously across the entire Bay Area, the Sacramento region, and a contiguous stretch from Santa Clarita to San Diego.
- The approved territory represents an expansion of roughly tenfold compared with Waymo’s previous California coverage, marking the state’s largest geographic allowance for autonomous ride-hailing to date.
- Authorized vehicles include Jaguar I‑Pace (2021 or 2024) and Zeekr RT (2022 or 2025) models, which may run 24/7 in rain or fog and at all posted speeds within the new area.
- Waymo must obtain California Public Utilities Commission driverless deployment permits before offering paid rides in San Diego and before deploying its next‑generation vehicle platform.
- Waymo says it plans to welcome riders in San Diego in mid‑2026, with no public timeline for other newly permitted locales as regulators and communities continue to scrutinize safety and implementation.