In a new milestone for 21st-century mobility, Waymo, the Alphabet subsidiary specializing in autonomous vehicles, has announced that its driverless taxis have traveled more than 100 million miles (approximately 160 million kilometers) in real-world traffic conditions. This is an impressive figure that not only consolidates its leadership in the sector but also marks a turning point in the history of urban transportation.
This isn't just a round number. Traveling 100 million miles in autonomous mode represents unprecedented technological and operational validation. Waymo isn't the only company developing robotaxis, but it is the one with the most accumulated real-world experience, and that makes a difference.
Furthermore, this record has been achieved with very few accidents, reinforcing one of the company's fundamental pillars: safety first. Since its inception, Waymo has prioritized safe driving over rapid expansion or aggressive marketing. The company has spent more than 15 years developing and perfecting its technology, always with the premise that a self-driving car should be safer than a human behind the wheel.
Waymo has provided more than 10 million self-driving taxi trips to date, primarily in cities like Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, and its vehicles currently travel approximately 2 million miles per week, reflecting an increasingly intense pace of activity.
And this is just the beginning. The company has already announced plans to expand into new US cities, such as Washington, D.C., Atlanta, and Miami. There are also plans to launch in Tokyo, which would make the company a global player in the emerging robo-taxi market.
Although Waymo leads the sector in the United States, international competition is not far behind. In China, companies such as Baidu Apollo, AutoX, and Pony.ai are developing similar services in cities like Shenzhen, Beijing, and Shanghai. The pace of deployment is dizzying, supported by government policies that are highly favorable to innovation.
These companies not only operate in complex urban environments but are also rapidly improving their self-driving algorithms. The competition to dominate the future of autonomous transportation will not only be technological but also geopolitical.
While the US and China are moving at full speed, Europe appears to be lagging behind. Stricter legislation, market fragmentation, and less investment in this type of technology are delaying the deployment of autonomous taxis on the continent. Although there are pilot projects in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, none come close to the level of scalability or maturity already demonstrated by Waymo and its Asian competitors.
Despite their achievements, the self-driving taxi business model is still not profitable. Investments in fleet development, infrastructure, and maintenance are sky-high, and current revenues are insufficient to cover operating costs.
Waymo, like many other companies in the sector, continues to operate at a loss, and it is still unclear when profitability will be achieved. However, it is betting on the long term. As with smartphones or solar energy, economies of scale and technological refinements are expected to significantly reduce costs in the coming years.
The announcement of 100 million miles is not just a marketing metric. It is proof that autonomous driving is no longer a futuristic promise, but a tangible reality that is transforming our cities. Waymo has demonstrated that driverless vehicles can operate safely, efficiently, and consistently in complex urban environments.
The next step will be to expand that experience to more environments, more countries, and more users. And although the challenges remain enormous—from regulation to social acceptance—the truth is that the mobility of the future is already underway.
Waymo deserves recognition for this achievement. And while there's still a long way to go, the truth is that this road, now more than ever, no longer needs a driver.
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