Waymo has received approval from California’s Public Utilities Commission to expand its robotaxi service, allowing it to begin offering rides in Sacramento and San Diego and to broaden operations in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. The decision is significant because it gives the company access to a much larger California market, although Waymo says the rollout will be gradual and governed by its safety framework.

The approval covers 18 counties across northern and southern California, including Sacramento, San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange and San Francisco. It follows a safety-plan request Waymo filed in January, which was previously suspended after feedback; the reasons for its apparent resolution have not yet been publicly recorded. Waymo plans to use its existing Jaguar I-Pace vehicles and new Zeekr-built Ojai robotaxis, and had previously announced San Diego and Sacramento expansion plans in late 2025 and early 2026.