Waymo begins offering robotaxi rides on San Francisco freeways to employees

Less than one week after expanding robotaxi service outside San Francisco, Waymo announced that its autonomous vehicles will begin using the city's freeways.

The company announced on social media on Monday that the company's employees can take trips using freeways, following successful tests in Arizona.

"After successful testing of our autonomous vehicles on Phoenix freeways, we're expanding our operations. Starting today, our employees will also have access to fully autonomous rides on San Francisco freeways," Waymo posted on X (formerly Twitter).

In its post, the company touted significant time savings on a hyopthetical ride between Lake Merced and Oracle Park.

A Waymo spokesperson said in a statement to CBS News Bay Area Monday afternoon, "Like other expansions to our operations, we're following the same processes outlined by our safety framework, informed by years of safe and proven experience operating fleets of rider-only vehicles on public roads across California and Arizona and millions of miles of experience," 

"Just as we've taken a gradual approach to rolling out our technology in the past, we will start by offering Waymo employees rider-only trips on freeways in San Francisco, during which employees will provide feedback on the service and rider experience," the company went on to say.

Last week, Waymo announced the company would begin offering robotaxi rides beyond San Francisco to the Peninsula communities of Daly City, Broadmoor and Colma. In total, the company covers 55 square miles in the region.

The move has been met with some opposition to leaders in San Mateo County, who said Waymo gave them little notice. Leaders on the Peninsula are backing a measure that would let local governments regulate autonomous vehicles.

The company did not say when freeway trips would be offered to the public.

In:
• Autonomous Vehicles
• Google
• Interstate 280
• Interstate 80
• Driverless
• Highway 101
• Waymo
• San Francisco