Waymo Accelerates Expansion with Massive $100 Billion Valuation Push
Alphabet’s self-driving subsidiary Waymo is in advanced talks to secure over $15 billion in new funding, aiming for a near-$100 billion valuation. This staggering leap—up from a $45 billion valuation just a year ago—signals aggressive growth plans as the company scales its autonomous ride-hailing services.
Leading the Driverless Revolution
Waymo has dominated real-world deployment since spinning off from Alphabet in 2016, completing hundreds of thousands of paid, fully driverless rides weekly across six U.S. cities. Unlike Tesla’s camera-focused “Full Self-Driving” approach, Waymo relies on sensor-heavy technology (lidar, HD mapping) and remote oversight—a costlier but more operational strategy to date.
Rapid Growth and Expansion
- 14+ million rider-only trips completed in 2025 alone.
- Active in major markets: San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Austin.
- Plans to launch in Miami, plus international debuts in London and Tokyo by 2026.
- Fleet of 2,500 Jaguar I-PACE vehicles, transitioning to custom Zeekr robotaxis soon.
Electrek’s Perspective: Scaling Toward Profitability
With $15 billion, Waymo could theoretically 40x its fleet to 100,000 vehicles, capturing ~10% of the U.S. ride-hailing market. While critics argue its sensor-reliant model is harder to scale than Tesla’s vision-only tech, Waymo’s reality—empty driver seats and millions of rides—speaks louder than promises. If Tesla solves full autonomy, the game changes. For now, Waymo’s path could soon turn self-sustaining.
