Hey there, tech enthusiasts! Welcome to the ride of the future!

Waymo has announced an exciting plan to start offering robotaxi services in Washington D.C. through the Waymo One app by 2026. But hold your horses; before they can hit the streets commercially, they’ve got some lobbying to do.

This news comes as Waymo strengthens its presence against competitors like Amazon’s Zoox and Tesla’s upcoming robotaxi service set for Austin and California this year.

Currently, Waymo’s robotaxi service operates commercially in Phoenix, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area. It’s even made strides in Austin by teaming up with ride-hail giant Uber.

Moreover, Waymo is gearing up to expand into Atlanta this year, and Miami is next on their radar for a 2026 launch alongside D.C.

To ramp up excitement, Waymo plans to map out 10 cities this year, including Las Vegas and San Diego, to prepare for further expansion.

Recently, the company began testing its Jaguar I-Pace robotaxis in D.C., with human drivers at the helm for now, as they gather data for a fully autonomous future.

Waymo’s goal hinges on the ability to eventually remove the human driver altogether, a shift that requires working closely with local policymakers to modify existing rules for autonomous vehicles on public roads.