Waymo announced through its blog that Los Angeles will be Waymo’s next ride-hailing city, joining Phoenix and San Francisco. Waymo claims it has gotten to know many LA neighborhoods, including Downtown and Miracle Mile, Koreatown, Santa Monica, Westwood and West Hollywood, and they will begin driving autonomously in several central districts over the coming months as we prepare to serve Angelenos.”
We’ll deploy a round-the-clock service that provides more accessible and dependable mobility options to all residents of LA – whether they’re carpooling to work along Pico, catching a ride to the nearest Metro stop, meeting up with friends at The Broad, or taking the kids to Dodger Stadium,” reported the blog post.
“When we think about our next cities, Los Angeles jumps out,” said Waymo’s co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana. “LA is a remarkable, vibrant place – and Waymo’s experience leaves us best positioned to tackle its driving complexity. We’re working closely with Angelenos to ensure we’re addressing the transportation needs and priorities of their communities as we bring the Waymo Driver to LA.”
Waymo operations in Los Angeles build on it experience in other cities.
With approximately 13 million residents, the Los Angeles metropolitan area is one of the largest ride-hailing service areas in the world and the third largest in the U.S., with an estimated market opportunity of $2 billion in 2022. As a commercial opportunity, Los Angeles is the equivalent of a dozen smaller U.S. ride-hailing market opportunities combined.
“If we want to change the car culture in Los Angeles, we need to give Angelenos real alternatives to owning their own vehicle – including a world-class public transportation network, a range of active transportation options, and the convenience of mobility as a service across our City,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “By adding Waymo to our growing list of ways to get around, we’re making good on our commitment to ease congestion on our streets, clean our air, and give people a better way to get where they need to go.”