Waymo Launches Self-Driving Taxis for All Los Angeles Residents

Waymo opened its robotaxi service to anyone wanting a ride in Los Angeles on Tuesday, marking another milestone in the evolution of self-driving car technology since the company began as a secret project at Google 15 years ago.

While the service has been loosened, there are still some geographic limitations. The service is currently only available within 80 miles (207 km) of Los Angeles County, California, including areas like Hollywood, Chinatown, Westwood, and more, The Verge reports. This is because the self-driving taxis need to thoroughly explore each new territory to operate safely, but Waymo’s confidence in the technology is growing, as evidenced by a record-breaking $5.6 billion investment round to support the next stage of business growth.

Despite its success, Waymo is still believed to be losing money. While Alphabet doesn’t disclose Waymo’s financial results, the robotaxis are a significant part of its Other Bets division, which posted an operating loss of $3.3 billion in the first nine months of this year, down from the $4.2 billion loss in the same period last year.