Alphabet's Waymo robotaxi unit doubles paid rides in three months

Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo said Tuesday that paid rides have doubled to 100,000 per week in just over three months, as the self-driving ride-hailing company expands its service areas and lets more people use its robotic taxis.

Waymo's expansion comes just a month after Alphabet announced a multi-year, $5 billion investment in the company, even as self-driving vehicle technology continues to face widespread skepticism, intense regulatory scrutiny and government investigations.

Waymo, which has a fleet of about 700 vehicles, is the only company in the United States that operates unmanned auto-taxi services that collect fares. The company opened its service to anyone in San Francisco in June without having to be put on a waiting list, while also expanding its operations in the Phoenix metropolitan area. This month, Waymo expanded its service to the San Francisco Peninsula and certain parts of Los Angeles.

“People still think of self-driving vehicles as a distant future, but for a growing number of people, they are now an everyday reality,” Chief Product Officer Saswat Panigrahi said in a statement, adding that Waymo is “operating with full awareness” and “cost optimization” in mind.

This is crucial as competition for Waymo is expected to intensify. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is expected to unveil the electric car leader’s delayed plans for its robotic product in October.

Other contenders include General Motors’ Cruise, which is returning to U.S. roads with safe drivers after a serious crash last year; Amazon.com Inc.’s Zoox, which is expanding testing of its vehicles without steering wheels and pedals; and China’s WeRide, which is seeking a $5 billion valuation in its initial public offering in New York and has received approval from California to test passengers.