Waymo Surpasses 20 Million Paid Rides and Targets Expansion

Alphabet subsidiary Waymo has surpassed 20 million paid rides and 220 million rider-only miles across five U.S. cities. The company reports its robotaxis caused 93% fewer pedestrian injuries and 94% fewer serious or fatal crashes compared to an adjusted human benchmark. An Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study provided a slightly lower overall injury reduction figure of 81%.

Waymo is now targeting 1 million paid rides per week by the end of 2026. Achieving this goal requires expanding its fleet and entering new international markets, including London and Tokyo. Market research from Yipit indicates Waymo captured between 15% and 19% of gross bookings in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix as of June 2026.

The growth of autonomous vehicles is impacting traditional ride-hailing operations. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi noted reduced driver recruitment in some cities where AVs operate, and hourly driver wages have reportedly declined in Austin. Conversely, Lyft CEO David Risher argues that the market will expand through a hybrid model of human and autonomous drivers. Experts suggest the primary impact on human drivers may be lower utilization and fewer trips per hour rather than immediate mass layoffs.