Waymo in Washington, DC
In Washington, DC, Waymo is testing. You cannot book a ride there yet.
- Status
- Testing
- Announced
- March 2025
Public Waymo rides in Washington, DC have not started yet. In March 2025, the company said it hoped to begin service in the city during 2026. Right now, testing continues there, and no confirmed launch date has been set.
- Current status: Still testing, with no rider service
- Announcement: March 2025
- Expected launch: 2026, but no confirmed date
- Rides available to the public today: None
Waymo's DC Mapping and Tests
Waymo has been running tests and mapping the city. During mapping, the company drives its vehicles around town and records detailed street information before any passengers get in.
So far, the company has not shared a rider map for Washington, DC. Without one, you cannot point to a specific part of the city and call a Waymo car there.
Does Waymo Have a DC Service Area Yet?
Not yet. A service area covers the places where regular riders can request a trip, and DC does not have one.
Every test drive in the city requires a human safety driver. That person is trained and sits at the wheel during testing, ready to take control when needed. Reports also say that the rules needed to let the cars run without one have not moved forward.
Waymo's Plans for Washington, DC
Washington, DC still appears under Up Next on the company city list. The March 2025 announcement pointed to 2026, though no firm debut date exists right now.
Robotaxi Companies in Washington, DC
Several robotaxi businesses are running tests in the city, and Waymo is one of them. Two of them are currently conducting tests in Washington, DC:
- Waymo: Conducting tests with a safety driver and not accepting passengers
- Zoox: Testing in Washington, DC, with no passenger service
A robotaxi is a self-driving car that takes paying passengers who book through an app.
Can the Public Use a Driverless Taxi in Washington, DC?
Not right now. Neither Waymo nor Zoox is serving the public in Washington, DC, so no app is available for booking a robotaxi ride there today.
US Cities With Public Robotaxi Rides
If you are planning a trip, several US cities already offer robotaxi rides you can book. Here is a rundown of the services in each city.
| City | Waymo | Other services |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | Available through Uber since June 2025 | May Mobility on Lyft, open to everyone with an operator in the car; Zoox testing |
| Austin | Available through Uber since March 2025 | Tesla Robotaxi, running since June 22, 2025; Zoox restricted to employees, family, and friends |
| Dallas | Public riders began in February 2026, with invitations required initially | Avride, bookable through Uber since December 3, 2025; Tesla Robotaxi running unsupervised since April 18, 2026 |
| Houston | No listing yet | Tesla Robotaxi, running with no supervisor since April 18, 2026; Nuro testing with safety operators on board |
| Los Angeles | Open to the public since November 2024 | Zoox running tests |
| Miami, FL | Public riders began in January 2026 | Tesla Robotaxi, running with no supervisor since July 3, 2026; Zoox open only to employees, family, and friends as of April 23, 2026 |
Riders in Atlanta and Austin use Uber to book Waymo trips rather than Waymo's own app. Dallas initially invited its first Waymo riders, so not everyone could ride straight away.