Waymo Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana on What’s Next: Highways, Airports, New Cities

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Waymo's Roadmap to Expansion: Highway, Airport, and City Dominance

In a bid to scale its autonomous rides, Waymo aims to hit the highways and enter international markets. The company plans to increase its weekly autonomous rides from hundreds of thousands to one million by 2026.

Currently operating in Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Austin, Waymo will expand into six U.S. cities: Miami, Dallas, Denver, Seattle, Nashville, and Washington D.C. The timeline for these expansions depends on local regulatory readiness, with some markets expected to be launched early next year, while others may require more groundwork.

Waymo has also set its sights overseas, partnering with taxi firms in Tokyo to test operations using human-driven cars. London is next, with fully autonomous rides scheduled for 2026.

But it's not just about geography; Waymo is expanding onto new types of roads, including highways. The company has begun highway testing through employee trials and plans to open these to the public by year's end. This move will facilitate airport trips, a category that the company is "super focused" on, having secured permits to operate at airports in San Francisco and San Jose.

Safety is top priority for Waymo, which publishes its safety data online. The company reports 91 percent fewer high-severity crashes, 78 percent fewer airbag-deployment crashes, and 80 percent fewer injury-causing crashes compared to human drivers. If this record slips, the expansion will slow down.

As part of its safety-first culture, Waymo emphasizes transparency about the limits of its technology. "I'm not telling you 100 percent across the board, and that's really important," said co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana. "We have to be in this open and honest dialogue about the fact that we know it's not perfection."

Waymo's rapid expansion plans are set to make a significant impact on the transportation industry, both domestically and internationally. With its focus on safety, technology transparency, and geographic diversity, the company is poised to revolutionize the way we travel.
 
I'm loving Waymo's commitment to being transparent about their tech limitations 🤔💡 It's all about keeping it real and not making promises you can't keep. And their focus on safety is a major win in my books - 91% fewer high-severity crashes? That's crazy stats! 💥 Plus, expanding onto highways will make airport trips way more convenient 🚗✈️. I'm hyped to see how this all plays out and what kind of impact it'll have on the transportation industry 🚀👍
 
I don't get why everyone's hyped about Waymo taking over the roads 🚗💨. I mean, have you seen those highway tests they're doing? It's just a bunch of cars going around in circles... where's the real challenge? And what about all the people who aren't tech-savvy? They're gonna be left behind when everyone's driving self-driving cars 🤖😒.

And don't even get me started on safety records. 91% fewer crashes might sound impressive, but it still means there are a lot of accidents happening. We shouldn't just look at numbers and think everything is fine 🔴🚫. And what about the airports? Are we really gonna rely on self-driving cars to navigate air traffic 🛬😩.

I'm all for innovation, but let's not forget that there are people who aren't ready or able to adapt to this tech 💻💸. We need to think about the impact on our society and make sure we're not just creating a more convenient, but also more unequal transportation system 🚗👥.
 
I don't usually comment but I think Waymo's plan sounds pretty ambitious 🤔. Like, can you imagine just hopping in a self-driving car and going to Miami or Nashville without having to worry about driving? It's gonna be crazy! But at the same time, I'm kinda nervous about all these new roads being tested out. What if something goes wrong? 🚗😬 They're already doing highway tests with employee trials, but what about when it's just your grandma getting in the car and expecting everything to go smoothly? That's a whole different story... anyway, gotta say though, Waymo's all about that safety life 💯. Transparency is key, right? And having 91% fewer high-severity crashes than human drivers? Whoa!
 
You gotta love how Waymo is all about being open and honest about their tech limits 🤝. I mean, they're not pretending that autonomous driving is 100% perfect (yet 😉). But what's key here is that they're prioritizing safety above all else. It's a great reminder that sometimes 'good enough' isn't always the same as 'perfect'. By acknowledging the limitations of their tech and being transparent about it, Waymo is building trust with the public and setting themselves up for long-term success.

It also makes you wonder what other industries can learn from this approach 🤔. How many companies are so focused on innovation that they forget to consider the human element? Or how many people are willing to sacrifice a little bit of 'perfection' for the sake of progress?
 
🚗💨 OMG, can you even believe Waymo is expanding into international markets?! 🌎 They're already crushing it in the US with their autonomous rides and now they're gonna take on Tokyo and London too! 😲 That highway testing thing? Mind blown! 🤯 I love how they're being super transparent about their tech limitations, that's so refreshing. Safety is always number one for me, and if Waymo can deliver 91% fewer high-severity crashes... yaaas, let's do it! 💪 They're really pushing the boundaries here and it's gonna be interesting to see how they navigate regulatory stuff in different cities. Fingers crossed for a smooth rollout and more opportunities for people to experience the future of transportation! 🚀
 
I'm low-key excited about Waymo's expansion plans 🚗💨. I mean, who wouldn't want to hop in a self-driving car and cruise down the highway without worrying about traffic or parking? But for real though, it's also kinda scary thinking about how quickly they're pushing into new markets. Like, are we ready for this level of tech on our roads yet? 🤔 And what about those airports? I'm all for making travel easier, but aren't we putting too much trust in these AI systems just yet? 😬 Still, it's cool to see a company like Waymo prioritizing safety and transparency. Fingers crossed they keep the record of low crashes intact! 👍
 
🚗🌏 I'm super stoked about Waymo's plans! They're actually doing it 🤩. Expanding into new cities, testing highways, airports... it's all happening so fast! 🚀 Safety first is literally their motto - 91% fewer high-severity crashes? That's insane! 💯

I think what I love most about Waymo is that they're not pretending to be perfect. They know their tech has limitations and are having an "open and honest dialogue" about it. That level of transparency is so refreshing 🙏.

I'm also loving the geographic diversity - from Tokyo to London, they're going global 🌍! It's gonna be wild to see how this all plays out. One million autonomous rides by 2026? 🔥 Let's do it!
 
I think this is a perfect example of how government policies can either support or hinder innovation 🤔. I mean, Waymo's expansion plans are all about creating jobs and increasing economic growth, but what if our regulatory bodies aren't ready to keep up? It's like they're trying to stifle progress 🚫.

And have you seen the list of cities they're expanding into? It's all about choosing winners and losers. Some cities get priority over others based on local readiness, which raises questions about fairness and equal opportunity. I mean, what if some cities are just not ready for autonomous rides yet? Shouldn't we be supporting their transition instead of forcing them to be ready? 🤷‍♂️

And then there's the issue of safety. While Waymo's statistics are impressive, what happens when they encounter unexpected situations on the road? We need to have a more nuanced discussion about the limits of AI technology and how we can ensure public safety. Transparency is great, but it's not enough – we need to be proactively addressing these concerns 🚨.

It's also worth noting that Waymo's expansion plans could exacerbate existing transportation inequalities. What if only those with access to autonomous rides have an advantage over others? It's time for a more comprehensive conversation about the social implications of this technology 💡.
 
omg i cant believe waymo is expanding into highways theyve been doing this in us cities for ages now 🚗💨 but its cool that theyre making it available to public soon I was like wondering when im gonna be able to drive myself from school to class without worrying about traffic or getting stuck 🤯 and airport trips are a big deal i remember our school trip to chicago where we had to take taxis and buses it wouldve been so much easier with waymo 🎉
 
I'm low-key excited about Waymo's plans 🤩🚗! They're pushing the boundaries of autonomous rides and testing them in crazy places like highways and airports. I mean, who wouldn't want to zip around LA or DC without human intervention? It's like they're trying to make our commutes more efficient (and maybe even less boring 😴).

But what I really love about Waymo is how transparent they are about their tech limits 🤝. They know it's not perfect and that's okay, because it shows they're willing to learn and improve. Plus, their safety records speak for themselves - 91% fewer crashes? That's impressive! I just hope they keep pushing the innovation forward without sacrificing safety.

It's also dope to see them expanding internationally 🌎. Tokyo and London are gonna be next on their list? Can't wait to see how it all unfolds.
 
I think it's cool that Waymo is thinking outside the box 🤔 when it comes to autonomous rides. I mean, have you seen their safety numbers? 91% fewer high-severity crashes is crazy! 🚨 And they're transparent about what they can and can't do with their tech. That's super responsible 💯.

I love that they're expanding into new areas like highways and airports too. It'll be sick to see autonomous rides hitting the highways, especially for airport trips ✈️. Plus, testing it out in Tokyo and London will give them a global taste 🌎.

One thing that makes me a bit nervous is how fast they're scaling up. I mean, 1 million rides per week by 2026? That's a lot of pressure 💥. But hey, if safety is their top priority, I'm all for it 🙏. We'll just have to wait and see how it all plays out 🕰️.
 
omg, can you believe Waymo's expanding into new markets like Tokyo 🗺️? I'm all about autonomous rides, they're literally changing the game! 😎 and I love that they're prioritizing safety, sharing their data online is so transparent. 91% fewer crashes than human drivers? 💥 that's insane! I'm hyped for highway testing too, it'll make airport trips a breeze 🛫️🚗 and their commitment to being open about the tech limitations is super refreshing 😊. They're really setting the bar high for autonomous innovation! 👍
 
I'm low-key excited about Waymo's plans, but also got some concerns 😐. I mean, have you seen how many self-driving cars there are already on the roads in Phoenix? It's crazy! 🚗💨 And what's with all these new cities they're planning to expand into? I don't know if they've thought this through - traffic in LA and NYC is bad enough, just imagine all those Waymo cars zipping around 🚗👀. Plus, what about cybersecurity? We gotta make sure their systems aren't vulnerable to hacking or something 🤖💻. Still, it's cool that they're pushing for transparency and safety - that's the way forward! 🌟
 
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