HOUSTON — Waymo expanded its autonomous ride-hailing service area in Houston to nearly 50 square miles, adding neighborhoods including EaDo, the Texas Medical Center, and Northeast Houston, the company announced Thursday.
The expansion includes NRG Stadium, which is scheduled to host large crowds during FIFA World Cup-related events in June and July.
Waymo launched its public service in Houston in February, along with initial rollouts in Dallas and San Antonio. The company reported tens of thousands of riders across each Texas city since the launch.
Across Houston, Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio, Waymo said its service now spans nearly 300 square miles.
Company official Shweta Shrivastava said the expansion reflects a “land and expand” strategy focused on increasing coverage within existing markets while entering new ones.
Waymo said its internal analysis of 170 million rider-only miles showed its autonomous system was involved in 92% fewer crashes resulting in serious or fatal injuries compared with human drivers, and 83% fewer crashes involving airbag deployment.
The company’s expansion comes as Tesla robotaxi services also operate in Houston.
The rollout has faced operational issues, including incidents in which a Waymo vehicle entered oncoming traffic in downtown Houston and another stalled after entering a flooded street in Atlanta.
