LAS VEGAS, Nev., Sept. 14, 2026 — Waymo will open its Las Vegas robotaxi service to the general public with a fleet of a few dozen vehicles, marking the company’s first public robotaxi operation in Nevada. Waymo plans to increase the number of vehicles in Las Vegas over time as the company expands beyond its existing operations in California, Texas, Florida and Arizona.

The Las Vegas launch gives Waymo access to a new group of paying passengers and puts the company in direct competition with Zoox. Zoox began offering paid robotaxi rides in Las Vegas last month and was the only company providing commercial autonomous rides to the public in the city before Waymo’s entry.

Waymo is an Alphabet company.

Waymo Uses Ojai Robotaxis in Las Vegas

Waymo will use its sixth-generation self-driving system in the Ojai for rides in Las Vegas. The Ojai is Waymo’s robotaxi, built on a Zeekr vehicle platform.

Starting with a few dozen Ojai robotaxis allows Waymo to begin carrying passengers in Las Vegas before adding more vehicles. Passenger demand will influence how quickly Waymo expands its Las Vegas fleet because each additional robotaxi requires spending on the vehicle, autonomous-driving hardware and software, maintenance and local operations.

Waymo Plans to Take Robotaxis to More Cities

Waymo plans to expand its robotaxi operations to more U.S. cities. Earlier this month, the company announced plans to enter Denver, San Diego and Tampa, adding three cities to its planned service area.

Each new city requires Waymo to deploy robotaxis and autonomous-driving technology and establish the operations needed to serve passengers. Waymo also needs enough passenger trips to keep its vehicles in use throughout the day. Higher vehicle utilization can generate more revenue from each robotaxi and help justify the cost of adding vehicles.

Photo credit: Waymo

Zoox and Tesla Challenge Waymo

Waymo is expanding its robotaxi operations as Zoox and Tesla pursue competing autonomous-driving businesses. Zoox already offers paid robotaxi rides in Las Vegas, while Tesla is pursuing its own self-driving vehicle business. Waymo therefore has to attract passengers who have other transportation options and give them reasons to use its robotaxis repeatedly.

Waymo was valued at $126 billion in February when the company raised $16 billion. The company has since announced plans to expand its robotaxi operations to more U.S. cities. The Las Vegas launch gives Waymo another opportunity to grow its paying customer base and expand its fleet. If passenger demand remains high as Waymo enters more cities, the company could establish robotaxis as a larger part of the U.S. ride-hailing business.