[AutonomousVehicles] Waymo Expanding into 18 Additional California Counties

[Cornelius Butler]

On August 14, 2026, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)
approved Waymo’s Advice Letter No. 4, authorizing commercial, fare-charging
driverless operations across 18 counties in Northern and Southern
California.

Key Details of the 18-County Expansion

Northern California — 12 Counties:
Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Mateo,
Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo.

Southern California — 6 Counties:
Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura.

New Commercial Markets:
The approval authorizes commercial passenger service in Sacramento and San
Diego, along with major operational expansions throughout the San Francisco
Bay Area and Greater Los Angeles.

Fleet Scope:
The authorization covers both Waymo’s retrofitted Jaguar I-PACE vehicles
and its custom Ojai robotaxis, based on the Zeekr platform and equipped
with Waymo’s 6th-generation Driver.

Operating Profile:
Waymo is authorized to operate on local streets, highways, freeways, and
rail crossings during the day and at night, including in rain and fog.

Official Links

CPUC Regulatory Approval — Advice Letter No. 4:
https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/consumer-protection-and-enforcement-division/documents/tlab/av-programs/tcp0038152a-waymo-al-0004.pdf

Waymo Official Newsroom:
https://waymo.com/blog/

Waymo Service Expansion Updates:
https://waymo.com/blog/shorts/growing-to-1400-sqm/
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