Waymo, the autonomous vehicle subsidiary of Alphabet, is targeting a future where its self-driving technology is not confined to robotaxis but is also installed in personally-owned cars. Co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov outlined this vision in a recent interview, stating a "path of convergence" for the company's product lines.
The executive explained that while its ride-hailing service operates in major metro areas, the same AI driver technology could be ideal for consumer vehicles in regions where a commercial robotaxi fleet is not viable. "Eventually, that'll be on your personal car. So that I see," Dolgov said.
Strategic Shift and Commercial Partnerships
This ambition marks a strategic expansion for Waymo, which has previously indicated it is exploring opportunities beyond its core ride-hailing business. A significant step in this direction was announced in April 2025, when Waymo entered a "strategic partnership" with Toyota Motor Corporation.
The collaboration aims to accelerate the development of driver assistance and automated driving technologies for personally-owned vehicles (POVs), with a continued focus on safety.
Addressing Market Limitations
Dolgov elaborated on the commercial logic, noting that in low-density areas, it may not make economic sense for a ride-hailing service to maintain a standby fleet. "The technology is solved. But then, if you're in the middle of nowhere and there's just not enough density of the trips. Does it make sense for the ride-hailing service that Waymo is running to have cars on standby? Probably not," he stated.
Licensing its autonomous driving system to other automakers for use in consumer cars presents a solution to serve these markets.
Current Operations and Growth
Waymo's current commercial operations remain focused on its robotaxi service. The company provides paid rides in 10 U.S. metropolitan areas and has identified additional cities in the U.S. and abroad for future deployment.
The company announced this week that it is now providing 500,000 paid rides per week, underscoring the scale of its existing ride-hailing network.