Waymo, the robotaxi business of Google parent Alphabet Inc., plans to launch service in Washington, DC, next year, a move that would effectively give US lawmakers and other officials more exposure to self-driving cars as they mull a framework for federal standards.

Waymo said Tuesday it will begin offering robotaxi rides via the Waymo One app in Washington, D.C., in 2026. Before it can launch commercially, the

Waymo announced that Washington, DC will be its next robotaxi city. The company aims to launch its Waymo One ridehailing service in the nation’s capitol in 2026 — though it acknowledged that it will first need to change the city law prohibiting fully autonomous vehicles without safety drivers.

Despite Waymo's claim that its cars can avoid blocking traffic, they still racked up nearly $65,000 in parking tickets

Timothy B. Lee has been writing full-time about AI on his Substack, Understanding AI, since 2023. In his latest post, he analyzed Waymo's recent crash data and determined that Waymo robotaxis drive much better than human drivers.