High Rollers, Empty Front Seat: Waymo Opens Public Robotaxis on the Strip
Waymo has begun to open its robotaxi service to the public in Las Vegas, inviting riders on a rolling basis a few weeks after Nevada transportation regulators gave final approval.
Sam Okonkwo, Robotaxi · Sept. 14, 2026
LAS VEGAS - Waymo on Monday began offering fully autonomous rides to its first public passengers in Las Vegas, opening a service area that threads the Strip and nearby neighborhoods after months of local validation and more than 100,000 expressions of interest, the Alphabet-owned company said.
The Alphabet-owned company said Monday it will invite public riders on a rolling basis, following a robotaxi launch playbook it has followed in 14 other cities. Waymo is starting with "dozens" of its new Ojai minivan robotaxis, which will serve an area of Las Vegas that includes the Strip south of Highway 589 and into Boulder Junction, according to a spokesperson. Waymo's fleet and service area will eventually scale. For now, members of the public will have to request an invite and hope to receive an access code.
Over 100,000 people have expressed interest in riding after months of mapping Vegas roads, Waymo said. Las Vegas will join Denver and San Diego as among the first cities with majority Ojai fleets, powered by the sixth-generation Waymo Driver.
Cruising down Las Vegas Boulevard in a Waymo will make anyone feel like a high roller. Our Ojai vehicle offers a spacious cabin, large screens and a load of customizations that help riders arrive safe and comfortable, throughout our nearly 24-mile service area.
People in Las Vegas can hail a ride from Boulder Junction up the Strip to Sahara Avenue, and from the edge of Spring Valley to Winchester, the company said. Waymo named Allegiant Stadium and The Venetian among destinations and said it will steadily give access to more riders in Clark County as it works toward opening the service to everyone.
Las Vegas is Waymo's 15th market. Zoox already operates a commercial service in the city. Tesla and Uber also received Nevada Transportation Authority approval to run robotaxis in Clark County. Waymo has been authorized to operate up to 1,000 autonomous vehicles over the next year. Uber is allowed up to 1,000 through partnerships with Hyundai subsidiary Motional and Zoox. Tesla is allowed up to 5,000.
Waymo also operates in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, Phoenix, and the San Francisco Bay Area. The company launched, and then paused, service in San Antonio. Earlier this month it began offering robotaxis to invited members of the public in Denver, San Diego, and Tampa.
Waymo said the Waymo Driver is involved in 94% fewer serious injury or worse crashes compared with human drivers over the same distance driven. Those figures are Waymo's. They have not been independently audited in this dispatch.
Sam Okonkwo covers robotaxis and ride-hailing for Driverless News.
