Waymo wins regulatory green light to expand robotaxi reach in Bay Area and SoCal

Waymo has gained approval to operate fully driverless across a much wider area of California, including the North Bay, Sacramento, and Southern California to San Diego, with a San Diego launch expected in mid-2026.
Waymo, autonomous vehicles, robotaxi, California DMV, robotaxi expansion, driverless, San Diego, Bay Area, self-driving regulation

Waymo has received regulatory approval from the California Department of Motor Vehicles to deploy its fully autonomous vehicles across significantly more territory.

In the Bay Area, the newly permitted regions include much of the East Bay, the North Bay (including Napa), and the Sacramento area. In Southern California, Waymo’s newly approved zone stretches from Santa Clarita down to San Diego.

While this approval allows for driverless operation, Waymo still requires additional regulatory clearances before it can begin carrying paying passengers in certain parts of the expansion area. The company says it plans to start welcoming riders in San Diego by mid-2026.

From a policy and urban mobility perspective, this marks a significant milestone for Waymo, laying the groundwork for a truly statewide robotaxi network. It will be essential to monitor how this expansion interacts with local transit planning, safety regulation, and infrastructure demands.

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