Overview
- Freeway rides start today for opt-in early-access users in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, with broader access to follow.
- Waymo also opened 24/7 curbside pickup and drop-off at San Jose Mineta International Airport and expanded Bay Area coverage to San Jose across roughly 260 square miles.
- The service uses designated stretches of major routes in each region rather than every freeway, with trips chosen when a highway path is meaningfully faster.
- Vehicles generally stick to posted speed limits, deviating only in extraordinary situations for safety, according to Waymo.
- Waymo cites extensive highway testing, dual-computer redundancy, and coordinated procedures with the California Highway Patrol and Arizona Department of Public Safety; the company says it is the first in the U.S. to offer paid, rider-only freeway trips.