Waymo Robotaxis Reach Torrance

Waymo is extending its driverless ride-hailing service into Torrance, adding a new option for commuters in the South Bay. The expansion places the company's autonomous vehicles in a region previously served only by traditional ride-share apps and public transit. This move marks the latest step in a multi-market rollout that will add nearly 250 square miles of coverage over the next week.

The company began its journey in 2009 as the Google Self-Driving Car Project. Alphabet spun Waymo off as an independent entity in 2016 to focus on self-driving technology. Waymo launched its commercial service, Waymo One, in Phoenix in 2018 using a small fleet of minivans. It later removed the human safety driver from the front seat, allowing the vehicles to operate fully autonomously for paying passengers.

Los Angeles became the company's next major market in 2022. Waitlist riders received their first trips in March 2024, and the service opened to the general public in November of that year. The current service area spans from Santa Monica to Echo Park and south to Inglewood. Notably, the map does not include Los Angeles International Airport, and Waymo does not currently offer rides to or from the terminal.

The new map shows the service area extending through Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach to Torrance. Waymo has not disclosed the exact square mileage added for the Los Angeles expansion. The company states it now operates in 15 U.S. metropolitan areas and provides more than 500,000 paid rides each week. This growth continues as the company scales its autonomous fleet in a competitive market.

The rollout to Torrance is scheduled to occur within the next week. Riders in the newly designated zones will be able to request trips through the Waymo app once the service goes live. The expansion follows the company's pattern of launching in specific urban cores before expanding outward to surrounding neighborhoods and coastal communities. No specific date for the Torrance launch has been announced.