Waymo Expands Paid Robotaxi Service to Las Vegas, Its 15th City

(Bloomberg) -- Alphabet Inc.'s Waymo is now serving paying customers in Las Vegas, marking the 15th US city where it offers hailable robotaxis.

Service will begin Monday, with riders invited "on a rolling basis to ensure a seamless experience," the company said in a statement. Passengers will be picked up in Waymo's Ojai minivan.

Waymo has used this phased-in approach before to enter new markets, including Denver, San Diego and Tampa earlier this month. Competitors like Amazon.com Inc.'s Zoox and Hyundai Motor Group-backed Motional already offer robotaxi rides in the Nevada gambling hub.

Waymo has said it wants to reach 1 million paid weekly rides this year in 20 cities globally. It's already the leading robotaxi operator in the US, where it provides more than 500,000 paid trips a week. The company is also laying the groundwork to test its service in more than a dozen markets, including London and Tokyo.

Waymo said it will initially have dozens of vehicles available in Las Vegas with plans to increase that number to "hundreds over time." The fleet will be managed by Moove, an Uber Technologies Inc.-backed company that also looks after Waymo vehicles in Phoenix and Miami. Waymo currently has more than 4,000 robotaxis in the US.

The robotaxis will not yet have access to freeways in Las Vegas at this stage. "As we begin service in a new city, it's typical to add airport and freeway access in future phases," a Waymo spokesperson said.

The company has been gearing up for a launch in the Nevada city by working with major venues near the Las Vegas Strip to create dedicated ride-hailing zones, applying a similar strategy to Zoox.

Last month, Waymo announced an agreement with the Las Vegas Raiders football team and their home Allegiant Stadium to create a specific pickup and drop-off area at the venue. The company will work to establish a similar setup at select "iconic locations" in the future, the spokesperson said.