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We already knew that Waymo was going to be entering several new markets in 2026. With the company raising $16 billion to expand more rapidly, I also expected we’d see some announcements about such expansions this week. And now we have them. The company has announced that it is now implementing the steps that lead to launching commercial service in Boston and Sacramento.
The Cradle of Liberty
“In America’s 250th year, we’re excited to return to Boston — one of the nation’s oldest cities — to build on insights from last year’s road trip as we lay the groundwork for serving Bostonians in the future,” Waymo writes. “We learned a lot from last year’s visit, and we’re excited to continue effectively adapting to Boston’s cobblestones, narrow alleyways, roundabouts and turnpikes. We’re also validating our 6th-generation Waymo Driver across some of the snowiest cities in the country to support fully autonomous operations in a wide range of winter weather, so Massachusetts residents and visitors can have an even more dependable way to get around.”
Oh, yes. Good point. It snows in Boston! There’s long been much discussion around the challenges of implementing self-driving technology in snow, but Waymo has been working hard on it for years and seems capable of handling it now. Naturally, that’s not just important for Boston, but for many cities.
However, Waymo also notes that it can’t launch robotaxis in Boston just yet, because fully autonomous driving isn’t legal in Massachusetts. “Before offering fully autonomous rides to Bostonians, we’ll first need the state to legalize fully autonomous vehicles. We’re looking forward to engaging with officials to inform that path. By legalizing this safety-enhancing technology, Massachusetts can bring additional safety, greater accessibility, and new career opportunities to the Commonwealth.” Well, yes, that does seem important.
In fact, in general, Waymo seems to have shifted more effort to lobbying on this matter. The company also reported yesterday that its Chief Safety Officer, Dr. Mauricio Peña, was testifying to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation to advance its agenda.
City of Trees
Across the vast United States, Waymo is going through a similar process in Sacramento. “Waymo is headed to Sacramento! As California’s capital and a growing center for progress, Sacramento’s spirit of innovation makes it the perfect next step for our expansion. We are eager to bring the future of mobility to this vibrant community, connecting its historic landmarks with its modern neighborhoods,” the company writes.
“Starting this week, we’ll begin manually driving a fleet of our all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles around the Capital City. This initial phase allows the Waymo Driver to get to know Sacramento’s unique dynamics—from tree-lined avenues to busy downtown corridors—as we prepare to welcome public riders in the future. We’ll follow the same step-by-step approach we’ve taken in the six major cities that we currently operate in, and work closely with state and city leaders to ensure our service meets the diverse needs of Sacramento’s residents and the thousands of visitors who walk its historic blocks every day.”
Of course, robotaxis are already legal in California, and Waymo is operating them there, so this should be a quick and smooth rollout.
Waymo, again, highlights the safety benefits of its vehicles. “Our expansion aligns with Sacramento’s ambitious Vision Zero goals to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries. The data to date shows Waymo is improving road safety where it operates, and we look forward to supporting the city’s mission of creating safer streets for everyone.”
We need many more miles in order to truly understand how much Waymo is improving human safety on the roads, but the signs have all been very positive up until now.
“As Sacramento grows, so does our need for safe, reliable transportation,” said Kevin McCarty, Mayor of Sacramento. “We’re excited to work with Waymo to expand mobility options that are designed with safety at their core. By offering new ways to move around the Capital City, we’re providing our residents with more choice while staying focused on our goal of making every street safer for everyone.”
Are we noticing a trend in messaging?
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