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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Technology
Guardian staff and agency

Waymo announces that its robotaxis will drive freeways for the first time

a self-driving car at an intersection
A Waymo self-driving car in San Francisco in August. Photograph: Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

Alphabet’s Waymo said on Wednesday that it would begin offering robotaxi rides that use freeways across San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix, a first for the Google subsidiary as it steps up expansion amid global and domestic competition in the self-driving industry.

Freeway rides will initially be available to early-access users, Waymo said. “When a freeway route is meaningfully faster, they can be matched with a freeway trip, providing quicker, smoother, and more efficient rides,” it said.

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