Waymo in Boston
In Boston, Waymo is testing. You cannot book a ride there yet.
- Status
- Testing
- Announced
- February 2026
Waymo is currently testing its vehicles in Boston, though rides are not open to the public yet. The company shared news of its Boston comeback in February 2026. Right now, the cars are learning Boston roads, and no one can book them.
- Status: testing only, no public rides yet
- Boston comeback announced: February 2026
- What needs to happen first: Massachusetts needs to approve legislation allowing driverless cars
- Waymo's city list: Boston is shown under "Up Next"
How Things Stand Today
According to Waymo's February 2026 announcement, its cars are out on Boston streets learning how the city drives. This kind of testing lets a vehicle collect experience in a new place before the public can take a trip.
Winter conditions are part of the job. Waymo reports that it is testing in snow, preparing the cars for a Boston winter rather than just mild, dry weather.
The main hurdle sits with the state, not the company. Massachusetts needs to legalize driverless cars first, and until that measure passes, nobody in Boston can hail one.
Boston Map
No rider map exists for Boston yet, simply because rides are not offered anywhere in the city. A map shows up only when there is a real service zone with pickup and drop-off locations, and Boston has none of that at present.
On Waymo's site, Boston appears under "Up Next", which signals something announced and planned rather than something running today. Should you find a map online showing Boston pickup locations, it is not an official rider zone.
Service Area
The service area covers the streets where the app lets you begin and finish a ride. Boston has no such area right now, with Waymo still in testing and the state law still waiting to pass.
The company has not named any neighborhoods that might open first, nor given a date. Until Waymo names a first neighborhood or a start date, any guess about where rides will begin is just a guess. So far, the public news from Waymo covers only two points: the company has returned to test, and a law must pass.
Robotaxis in Boston Today
A robotaxi is a self-driving taxi you request through an app, much like ordering a regular ride. At the moment, Boston has no robotaxi service from any company, including Waymo.
One reason applies to all of them. Massachusetts has yet to pass the law that would allow driverless vehicles to carry passengers. Waymo has said it is testing in Boston while it waits for that change.
Other Cities
For anyone eager to try a driverless taxi, Boston trails cities where public rides already run. Here is a look at how Waymo and other companies compare, with testing and public service placed next to each other.
| Location | Operator | Current options | Start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | Waymo | Testing continues, but public rides are unavailable | Announced February 2026 |
| Los Angeles | Waymo | Public rides are available | November 2024 |
| Austin | Waymo through Uber | Driverless rides are available | March 2025 |
| Austin | Tesla Robotaxi | Rides are available | June 2025 |
| Atlanta | Waymo through Uber | Rides are available | June 2025 |
| Atlanta | May Mobility through Lyft | Anyone can ride, with an operator aboard | Service is running |
| Dallas | Uber and Avride | Rides are available | December 2025 |
| Dallas | Waymo | Rides began for invited customers | February 2026 |
| Miami | Waymo | Public rides are available | January 2026 |
| Dallas | Tesla Robotaxi | Unsupervised rides are available | April 2026 |
| Houston | Tesla Robotaxi | Unsupervised rides are available | April 2026 |
| Miami | Tesla Robotaxi | Unsupervised rides are available | July 2026 |
| Houston | Nuro | Testing with safety operators | Testing |
Los Angeles has offered full public Waymo service since November 2024, while Miami began welcoming members of the public in January 2026. In Dallas, Waymo started in February 2026 with invited riders as its first public group.
Other companies operate in some of these cities as well. Waymo rides through Uber started in Atlanta in June 2025 and Austin in March 2025. Uber and Avride began offering rides in Dallas on December 3, 2025. Tesla also runs its own Robotaxi service, which started in Austin on June 22, 2025. It later operated without anyone behind the wheel in Dallas and Houston on April 18, 2026, followed by Miami on July 3, 2026.
Some vehicles on the road remain closed to the public. Zoox is testing in Atlanta and Los Angeles, but its Austin and Miami rides are limited to employees, relatives, and friends. Meanwhile, Nuro is running tests in Houston while safety operators remain aboard.