In the coming weeks, folks who may see cars zipping around the streets of Sacramento without a driver shouldn’t worry; they’re Waymo’s driverless taxis, and they are officially coming to the state’s capital.<\/p>\n
Waymo announced<\/a> its expansion into Sacramento on Feb. 5, saying it will begin integrating the city’s streets into its systems.<\/p>\n “Starting this week, we\u2019ll begin manually driving a fleet of our all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles around the Capital City,” the press release reads.<\/a><\/p>\n “This initial phase allows the Waymo Driver to get to know Sacramento\u2019s unique dynamics \u2014 from tree-lined avenues to busy downtown corridors \u2014 as we prepare to welcome public riders in the future.”<\/p>\n The company did not provide an expected date or timeline for when Waymo vehicles will begin operating in the city at full capacity.<\/p>\n In November 2025, Waymo shared a rendering on social media of potential areas where driverless taxis have been approved to operate in California. Within the Sacramento region, it appears that the California Department of Motor Vehicles permitted Waymo to operate its vehicles in the Sacramento, Folsom, Elk Grove, Woodland and Dixon areas.<\/p>\n \u201cAs Sacramento grows, so does our need for safe, reliable transportation,\u201d said Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty in the press release.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re 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\u2019re providing our residents with more choice while staying focused on our goal of making every street safer for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n As of February 2026, Waymo operates in six cities<\/a>: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix, and San Francisco. But the company plans to expand its operations into 13 other major cities \u2014 two of which are Sacramento and Boston, which are in the initial phase of operations.<\/p>\n On Jan. 23, Waymo made the headlines after one of its self-driving vehicles struck a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica, California.<\/p>\n The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that it had opened a preliminary investigation into the company due to the incident.<\/a><\/p>\n “We are committed to improving road safety, both for our riders and all those with whom we share the road,” Waymo wrote in a statement following the Santa Monica accident.<\/p>\n “Part of that commitment is being transparent when incidents occur, which is why we are sharing details regarding an event in Santa Monica, California, on Friday, January 23, where one of our vehicles made contact with a young pedestrian.”<\/p>\n Regarding whether Waymos are safe to operate on United States city streets, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has determined that these vehicles are safe in a limited capacity.<\/p>\n The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration classifies Waymo as a “high automation” vehicle under the agency’s\u00a0six levels of autonomous driving<\/a>.<\/p>\n “When engaged, the system handles all driving tasks while you, now the passenger, are not needed to maneuver the vehicle. The system can only operate the vehicle in limited service areas, not universally. A human driver is not needed to operate the vehicle,” reads the description of a Level 4 “high automation” vehicle.<\/p>\n According to NHTSA, Level 4 technology is not available for consumers to purchase, but it is used by ride-hailing services in several U.S. cities.<\/p>\n Feds open investigation into Waymo: Child struck by self-driving Waymo car near school, sparking probe<\/a><\/p>\n USA Today reporter Keith Laing contributed to this article.<\/p>\n Noe Padilla is a Northern California Reporter for USA Today. Contact him at\u00a0npadilla@usatodayco.com<\/a>, follow him on X @1NoePadilla<\/a>\u00a0or on Bluesky @noepadilla.bsky.social.\u00a0Sign up for the\u00a0TODAY Californian newsletter<\/a>\u00a0or follow us on Facebook at\u00a0TODAY Californian<\/a>.<\/p>\n