Waymo, the self-driving tech development unit of Google’s parent company Alphabet, has announced plans to test fully autonomous robotaxi rides (i.e. without a safety driver) in Los Angeles, California in the coming weeks.

Initially, the service will be offered to the company's employees in the Santa Monica area outside of traditional rush hour times. The company has also been mapping several other areas, including Downtown, Miracle Mile, Koreatown, and Westwood, since 2019 for the purpose.

The company still needs approval from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to extend the driverless tests under its “Trusted Member” program, which opens the tests to members of the public, who will sign a non-disclosure agreement to take part in tests. The company must secure yet another permit to launch the fully-autonomous robotaxi service commercially.

Waymo announced plans to launch robotaxi services in Los Angeles last October, and obtained the permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to extend driverless testing to Los Angeles in the following month.

Analyst QuickTake: When looking at Waymo’s operations in California, the company already operates a commercial robotaxi service in San Francisco, but is only allowed to operate with a safety driver on board to take control of the vehicle if needed. The company is still awaiting permits to commercially launch fully autonomous rides in San Francisco, following applying for the permit in December last year. As we see, the company is now on its path to commercializing robotaxi services in its second city in California.