Waymo expands robotaxi services into more parts of San Francisco Bay Area

The self-driving technology firm had received approval from California last month to expand operations

Waymo will expand into more areas of the San Francisco peninsula and parts of Silicon Valley, as the sole commercial robotaxi operator in the US seeks to scale up operations, the Alphabet unit said on Tuesday.

The self-driving technology firm had received approval from California last month to expand operations, just as Tesla prepares to launch its paid robotaxi service in Austin, Texas.

Starting Tuesday, Waymo is expanding its autonomous ride-hailing service to new areas across the peninsula, including Brisbane, South San Francisco, San Bruno, Millbrae and Burlingame.

In Silicon Valley, Waymo is expanding into more parts of Palo Alto and Menlo Park. It will also expand into more parts of Los Angeles starting Wednesday, including Playa del Rey, Ladera Heights, Echo Park, Silver Lake, and the full stretch of Sunset Boulevard, the Alphabet unit said.