Autonomous Ride-Hailing Expands in US and Asia
Waymo has officially launched its fully autonomous ride-hailing service in Orlando, one of just 10 US cities with the technology. Meanwhile, Seoul is set to commercialize its own autonomous taxi service next month following a zero-accident pilot, with plans for fully driverless operations later in 2026.
Waymo's Orlando launch is part of a broader, simultaneous expansion into four new US cities, including Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, bringing its total operational footprint to 10 major metro areas. The company aims to surpass 1 million weekly paid trips by the end of 2026, building on the more than 400,000 weekly trips it already provided across its previous six markets. The initial Orlando service area covers a 60-square-mile zone focused on the I-4 corridor, connecting downtown with tourist hubs like Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld. The fleet consists of all-electric Jaguar I-PACE SUVs equipped with Waymo's fifth-generation Driver system, though the company is already testing its sixth-generation hardware on Geely's Ojai EV platform in California. In Seoul, the service is a collaboration between autonomous driving specialist SWM and automaker KG Mobility, using the Korando EV as the vehicle platform. This nighttime-only service, which can be hailed through the popular Kakao T app, initially launched as a pilot in Seoul's busy Gangnam district. The Seoul pilot program completed 4,200 trips without any accidents, prompting the city to expand the service area to cover most of Gangnam, including neighborhoods like Apgujeong and Nonhyeon. While current law requires a safety operator to be present, the goal is to transition to fully unmanned Level 4 operations. The US market is dominated by a few key players, with Waymo operating the only large-scale, fully driverless commercial service. Competitors like Amazon's Zoox are also expanding, while Tesla continues to test its "Robotaxi" service in Austin with a human safety monitor present in the vehicle. Meanwhile, Asia's autonomous vehicle landscape is advancing rapidly, with companies like Baidu's Apollo Go and Pony.ai already operating large-scale robotaxi services across multiple cities in China. These companies are seen as outpacing US firms in market reach and adaptability, partly due to strong government support.
