Waymo robotaxis are now giving rides on freeways in LA, San Francisco, and Phoenix

Sixteen years ago, engineers working on the Google self-driving project conducted their first autonomous vehicle test on the freeway connecting Silicon Valley to San Francisco.

The company would eventually become Waymo, expanding autonomous vehicle testing – spreading to other cities. Eventually, the company launched commercial robotaxi services in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Other cities soon followed suit.

But the freeways, despite some early testing, will remain out of reach. Till today.

Waymo said Wednesday it will begin offering robotaxi rides using freeways in San Francisco, Phoenix and Los Angeles, a significant expansion for the company that it says will reduce ride times by up to 50%. That figure could help attract a whole new group of users who need to travel between the San Francisco Bay Area’s many towns and suburbs or make quick trips into the vast Los Angeles and Phoenix metro areas.

Using the freeway is also necessary for Waymo to offer rides to San Francisco Airport, a location the company is currently testing.

The company said the service will not initially be offered to all Waymo riders. Waymo riders who want to experience a freeway ride can note their preference in the Waymo app. According to the company, once riders like a ride, they can be matched with a freeway trip.

According to Waymo, the company’s robotaxi routes will now extend to San Jose, an expansion that will create a unified 260-mile service area across the peninsula. The company said it will also launch curbside drop off and pickup service at San Jose Mineta International Airport. It already provides curbside service to Sky Harbor Phoenix International Airport.

“Freeway driving is one of those things that is very easy to learn, but very hard to master when we are talking about full autonomy without a human driver as a backup and at large scale,” Waymo co-CEO Dmitry Dolgov said in a media briefing with reporters. “It took time to get it right with special attention to system security and reliability.”

Waymo robotaxis have been spotted on freeways for months. TechCrunch took a test ride in the Phoenix area last year that included freeways. The company has provided trips to employees for more than a year. It also expanded testing to include closed courses and simulations.

While many believe freeway driving is easy, it comes with its own set of challenges, lead software engineer Pierre Creitman said in a recent briefing. He said critical incidents occur less frequently on freeways, meaning there are fewer opportunities to expose Waymo’s self-driving system to rare scenarios and prove how the system performs when it really matters. The company opted to enhance its public road driving with a combination of closed course and simulation testing.

This expanded testing and validation of the software was done to ensure vehicles smoothly and safely transition between freeways and surface streets, and to recognize and adapt to the unique context of the roadway around them, Kreitman said.

Waymo has also expanded its operating protocols, including how it coordinates with safety officials like the California Highway Patrol now that its robotaxis are on freeways.