Waymo Expands Autonomous Footprint to Seattle and Denver

• Waymo announced it is extending operations to Seattle and will begin preparations for autonomous service in Denver this fall.
• The update follows the company’s first authorized testing in New York City earlier this summer.

Waymo is extending its autonomous vehicle footprint to two new U.S. cities. In a company blog post, it announced plans to expand into the Seattle metro area and begin laying the foundation for future service in Denver this fall.

In Denver, the company will deploy both Jaguar I-PACE and Zeekr RT vehicles outfitted with its 5th- and 6th-generation autonomous systems. Waymo said its latest platform was built to handle severe weather and draws on prior testing in snowy regions like Michigan and the Sierra Nevada. In Seattle, Waymo pointed to years of testing in local conditions, including rain, as preparation for future service.

These new markets follow Waymo’s first authorized tests in New York City, which began in August 2025. The pilot includes up to eight vehicles operating in Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn, each with a trained safety specialist on board. Waymo currently offers autonomous rides in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles via its own app, and in Austin and Atlanta through a partnership with Uber.

🌀 Tom’s Take:

Waymo is expanding aggressively, and Seattle and Denver will test just how weather-resilient its systems really are. These cities bring rain, snow, and unpredictability, exactly the kind of conditions autonomous tech needs to master.

Source: Waymo