Houston announced as next stop in Waymo robotaxi testing

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Passengers ride in an electric Jaguar I-Pace car outfitted with Waymo full self-driving technology in Santa Monica Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

HOUSTON - Waymo, a company focused on offering fully autonomous ride services, has announced their first step towards catering to Houston residents.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Waymo said their learning vehicles are making their way to the streets of Houston "very soon."

Waymo in Houston

What we know:

In Tuesday's post, they announced that their "road trip" is on its way to Houston, joining a testing program that's seen development in other Texas cities. The Waymo Driver service is currently tested and active in Austin. 

In an earlier post, Waymo said they were more than halfway through their 2025 road trip, having previously announced learning visits to cities including Boston and Dallas.

In a 2023 blog post, Waymo described their road trip as a way to allow their vehicles to gather information on roadways in new cities. They begin with human drivers in each new area, and eventually begin autonomous testing with a small fleet of Waymo Driver vehicles.

What we don't know:

Waymo did not say how long their testing phase will last in Houston.

There is not yet a public date for the full service to begin if the testing phase is successful.

Robotaxi Expansion

What's next:

On their public X page, Waymo continued announcing coming stops on their road trip.

Included in the next phase of testing are Orlando and San Antonio, they said.