Waymo Opens Robotaxi Service to Public Riders in Las Vegas

Waymo has begun opening its robotaxi service to public riders in Las Vegas, expanding its autonomous vehicle operations just weeks after receiving final approval from Nevada transportation regulators.

The Alphabet-owned company will initially invite riders on a rolling basis. Waymo is starting with dozens of its new Ojai minivans and will serve an area that includes the Las Vegas Strip south of Highway 589 and extends into Boulder Junction.

For now, riders must request an invitation and receive an access code before booking trips. Waymo typically opens new markets more broadly within a month or two after beginning public access.

Las Vegas becomes Waymo’s 15th market

The Las Vegas launch follows recent expansions into Denver, San Diego and Tampa, where Waymo also began offering rides to invited members of the public.

Las Vegas is Waymo’s 15th market as the company expands across the United States and Europe. It already operates in cities including Austin, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, Phoenix and the San Francisco Bay Area. A service previously launched in San Antonio was later paused.

Waymo’s arrival also adds another competitor to an increasingly crowded autonomous ride-hailing market in Las Vegas. Zoox already operates a commercial service there, while Tesla and Motional are also planning robotaxi launches.

Nevada approves thousands of autonomous vehicles

The Nevada Transportation Authority has authorised Waymo to operate up to 1,000 autonomous vehicles in Clark County over the next year. Tesla received approval for up to 5,000 vehicles, while Uber was cleared for up to 1,000 robotaxis through partnerships involving Motional and Zoox.

Together, the permits allow for as many as 7,000 robotaxis, although the companies may not deploy their full allocations. Waymo currently operates more than 4,000 robotaxis across more than a dozen cities.

Tesla has also signalled that its actual deployment could remain below its maximum permit. Cybercab chief engineer Eric Early told Nevada regulators in August that the company would consider roughly 2,500 vehicles over the next year a strong result.

Even if operators fall short of their authorised limits, Las Vegas could see a substantial increase in autonomous ride-hailing vehicles as Waymo, Tesla, Zoox and other companies expand their fleets.