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Tampa, FL - Waymo, the autonomous vehicle company owned by Alphabet Inc., announced it will begin preparations to launch its self-driving taxi service in Tampa.
The company confirmed it is expanding its app-based ride-hailing network beyond its current operations in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
According to a company statement, the rollout in Tampa will follow a phased approach similar to other cities.
Waymo said it will begin with human drivers collecting data before deploying its fully autonomous vehicles for public use.
The initial phase will utilize the company’s fifth-generation Waymo Driver system, with plans to introduce its sixth-generation platform in future stages.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor welcomed the move, calling it a step toward advancing transportation technology in the city.
She said the arrival of autonomous taxis could help improve local mobility and reduce congestion.
City officials are working with Waymo to establish safety protocols and prepare infrastructure for testing.
The company said its vehicles have accumulated more than 100 million miles of autonomous driving across public roads.
While Waymo has promoted its technology as a safer alternative to human drivers, it has acknowledged that its vehicles have been involved in previous traffic incidents.
Waymo has not provided a specific timeline for when Tampa residents will be able to use the driverless taxis but confirmed groundwork is underway to introduce the service in the coming months.