Waymo, an autonomous driving company operating under the Alphabet umbrella, has decided to expand its robotaxi operations. The company will add 2,000 new vehicles to its fleet of 1,500 Jaguar I-PACE models currently in service by the end of 2026.

Waymo will add thousands of new robotaxis to its fleet

With this move, Waymo’s fully driverless robotaxi fleet will grow by 130%, reaching a total of 3,500 vehicles. The company’s expansion process will be carried out at its new production facility called the “Waymo Driver Integration Plant” operated in partnership with Magna International in Arizona.

The facility has the capacity to produce tens of thousands of autonomous vehicles per year when it reaches full capacity. However, the new plan will not be limited to just Jaguar I-PACE models; the RT model developed by Chinese automotive manufacturer Zeekr is also being put into production at this facility in 2025.

The company’s service network also continues to expand. Waymo first began commercial robotaxi operations in Phoenix in 2020. As of today, it actively operates 250,000 driverless trips per week in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Austin.

However, the competitive environment is also changing. Tesla is preparing to launch its own robotaxi service in Austin in June. Although a limited fleet of 10 to 20 vehicles will be used in the first phase, Tesla’s presence in this area may increase over time.

In order for Waymo to maintain its current operational advantage, it needs to support its growth drive with technical capacity and market access. So what do you think about this? You can share your views with us in the comments section below.