Waymo has flipped the switch on paid, fully driverless rides in Las Vegas, adding the tourism capital to a fast-growing US robotaxi network that now stretches across 15 cities. Public invitations began rolling out on September 14, 2026, with the service expected to open to all riders on the app within one to two months.
Zeekr-built Ojai minivans headline the fleet
Rides launch with dozens of the Waymo Ojai, the next-generation minivan built by Zeekr and running Waymo's sixth-generation driver. The Ojai is cheaper to build, operate and maintain than the Jaguar I-Pace and is the sole platform in the initial Vegas fleet, following the same pattern used in Denver and San Diego earlier this year.
Coverage runs the Strip to Boulder Junction
Initial service covers the Las Vegas Strip south of Highway 589 through Boulder Junction, with expansion planned as demand and regulatory clearance broaden. The Nevada Transportation Authority recently signed off on Waymo's commercial launch, and the company is authorised to run up to 1,000 autonomous vehicles in Clark County over the next year.
Vegas becomes a robotaxi battleground
Waymo joins Zoox in the market and will soon share the streets with Tesla and Motional, whose combined permits allow up to 7,000 robotaxis in the metro. The Alphabet unit already operates paid service in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Nashville, Atlanta, Denver, San Diego and Tampa, with a Tokyo launch planned for 2027.
Vegas continues a torrid expansion cadence for Waymo, which has followed its 14-city September rollout with a Tokyo partnership and a Lyft tie-up in Nashville.
Reporting based on coverage from TechCrunch, Bloomberg and Engadget.