Waymo has opened its robotaxi service to the general public in three more US cities – Denver, San Diego and Tampa, Florida – as it presses ahead with expansion before an anticipated move into international markets. The rollout matters because it extends autonomous ride-hailing to new regions of the US at a time when the company is also eyeing cities such as Tokyo, Munich and London, positioning Waymo as the clear frontrunner in the race to commercialise driverless taxis.

Waymo said tens of thousands of people in each of the three cities had already signed up and would be granted access gradually before the service opens to everyone. The expansion brings the total number of US cities where Waymo operates to 14. However, its international ambitions face headwinds: reports last week indicated Waymo, along with rivals Wayve (backed by Uber) and Baidu (partnered with Lyft), is unlikely to hit its target of offering fully driverless rides in London this year, owing to technical and regulatory delays.