Waymo Expands Testing to Philadelphia, Plans to Operate in New York and Atlanta

Waymo is expanding its testing to Philadelphia with a small fleet of vehicles, initially driven manually through complex areas like downtown and local freeways. The Alphabet-owned company plans to gather mapping data and assess the performance of its autonomous system, Waymo Driver, in unfamiliar environments. This pilot follows similar testing efforts in New York and other cities, and is seen as a precursor to deciding whether to launch a commercial ride-hailing service in a new city. Waymo already operates in several US cities and plans to expand its robotaxi portfolio.

Waymo, the autonomous driving subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., has announced plans to begin testing its technology in Philadelphia, marking its latest effort to expand into Northeastern cities. The company will commence "road trip" testing from summer through the fall, using a limited fleet of vehicles with human safety drivers behind the wheel [1].

The testing will focus on gathering mapping data and evaluating the performance of Waymo's autonomous system, Waymo Driver, in complex urban environments. Philadelphia's downtown and freeway areas will be among the primary testing grounds. The company has expressed optimism about the city's potential, stating, "This city is a National Treasure" [1].

This expansion follows Waymo's recent testing in New York, where it applied for a permit to operate with safety drivers in Manhattan. Both cities present unique challenges due to their complex traffic patterns and infrastructure. Philadelphia's testing will help Waymo understand how its technology performs in these environments and determine the feasibility of launching a commercial ride-hailing service [1, 2].

Waymo's testing efforts come amid intensifying competition with Tesla, which is also rapidly expanding its robotaxi services. Tesla has already tested its technology in cities like Austin, Texas, and is planning to launch its service in the San Francisco Bay Area within the next two months [2].

Waymo currently operates in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin, providing more than 250,000 paid rides each week. The company plans to launch its robotaxi service in Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, D.C., by 2026 [1].

Despite these advancements, Waymo faces significant financial challenges. In 2024, Alphabet's "Other Bets" segment, which includes Waymo, generated $1.65 billion in revenue but reported a $4.44 billion loss [1].

References:
[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/07/waymo-to-begin-testing-in-philadelphia-with-drivers-behind-the-wheel.html
[2] https://autos.yahoo.com/articles/robotaxi-services-expand-cities-143000821.html