Waymo to expand robotaxi service to Los Angeles

Waymo, the robotaxi provider of Google's parent company Alphabet, said Wednesday that it will expand its ridehail service to Los Angeles. Waymo declined to say when fully autonomous car rides will be available to the public in the country's second largest metropolitan area. Waymo will begin with approximately a dozen vehicles in the coming months to lay the groundwork for operating a ridehail service by mapping the neighborhoods of Miracle Mile, Koreatown, Santa Monica, Westwood and West Hollywood. Mapping an area is a critical early step to operating Waymo's robotaxis, which rely on detailed maps, in addition to sensors, to help them navigate their surroundings. It offers robotaxi rides to the public in Chandler, Arizona and to its employees in San Francisco.