Waymo on September 22 said it is expanding its teen rider program to Nashville, the second U.S. city where 13-to-17-year-olds can hail its driverless robotaxis on their own accounts.
How The Teen Accounts Work
A parent or guardian must first link a teen to an existing Waymo family plan. Once activated, teens can independently request rides anywhere in Waymo's Nashville service area and bring up to three additional passengers aged 13-17 in the vehicle. The company did not disclose how it verifies rider age at drop-off, only that the account controls sit with the guardian.
Phoenix Was The Pilot
Waymo first opened teen accounts in Phoenix in 2025 and characterized Nashville as "the first of many" upcoming teen expansions in markets where its operations are mature and local regulations allow the service. Nashville access piggybacks on Waymo's Lyft-matched Nashville deployment.
Robotaxi Rivals Chase A New Demographic
Teenagers are a demographic the ride-hailing industry has largely underserved on legal-liability grounds. Waymo is betting that a fully driverless car — with in-app trip visibility for a parent — flips that calculus. It also puts pressure on Uber and Lyft to match; both currently restrict independent teen ride-hailing.
Reporting based on coverage from TechCrunch.