Waymo receives permission to offer rides in Sacramento and San Diego

Waymo has announced that it's received permission from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to expand its robotaxi service across more counties in California. The company says the decision will allow it to offer rides in Sacramento and San Diego for the first time, and expand service in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. As spotted by Electrek, the CPUC's approval appears to be in response to a letter Waymo filed in January asking for approval on a safety plan so it can offer rides in the expanded service area it announced in November 2025. Waymo received feedback and even at one point had its request suspended, according to the CPUC's page, but the company's announcement suggests those issues have since been resolved and just haven't been publicly recorded yet. Big news for the Golden State -- we have received the CPUC's approval to expand our autonomous ride-hailing service across the SF Bay Area and LA, and bring our service to Sacramento and San Diego.