Waymo news
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The gist
Waymo won approval to deploy driverless cars in Berkeley and other East Bay cities.
The expansion collides with Minneapolis pushback and arrests of armed riders in its cars.
Background
Waymo is expanding its driverless ride-hailing footprint across California and into new markets such as Cincinnati, where its cars are currently mapping streets with a person behind the wheel. At the same time, cities are weighing new rules: Minneapolis is considering requiring a human monitor in autonomous vehicles, and Minnesota has no specific AV regulations after legislators failed to pass oversight this year. The company has also begun operating robotaxis for Lyft in Nashville, while incidents involving weapons inside its cars in San Francisco have drawn police attention.
How it unfolded
- Aug 14, 2026A California Public Utilities Commission approval letting Waymo expand into the East Bay and other California cities took effect.
- Sep 3, 2026Waymo employees became aware of a firearm in one of the company's driverless cars and pulled the car over; the company alerted emergency services and cooperated with San Francisco police.
- Sep 8, 2026Waymo won official approval to deploy driverless cars in Berkeley and other East Bay cities.
- Sep 9, 2026Minneapolis City Council members drafted an ordinance requiring a human monitor in driverless vehicles, set for a Sept. 22 public hearing; separately, Waymo was reported to be in early stages of a Cincinnati-area rollout and to be driving for Lyft in one U.S. city.
- Sep 11, 2026Two young people were arrested in San Francisco's Outer Richmond after allegedly being caught in a Waymo with a loaded assault rifle; police carried out a high-risk vehicle stop.
- Sep 12, 2026Juveniles riding in a Waymo were arrested after police found a 'ghost gun'.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Waymo said it looked forward to bringing the same mobility and safety benefits millions of Californians already enjoy to more communities, keeping local officials and residents informed every step of the way.
- Support
- Waymo and supporters of automated vehicles point to some studies indicating the cars are safer than traditional vehicles with drivers.
- Caution
- Minneapolis ordinance authors warned that unless the city acts, thousands of rideshare drivers and their families could begin to lose income to big tech companies and their commercial AVs, which unlike rideshare companies are not currently regulated by the city.
- Public
- Eric Smith of Hebron said his biggest concern is how driverless vehicles will handle the behavior of other motorists.
Still unverified
The Financial Times reports Waymo has told Uber it intends to launch its own app in Austin and Atlanta in January 2028, when current contractual restrictions expire. Police are not releasing the identities of the suspects in the San Francisco arrest because of their age, and the investigation is open. Investigators have not named suspects or made arrests in connection with Fortune's death as they await a final autopsy report.