Waymo’s driverless taxis came to Charlotte months ago. Why you still can’t use them
If you’re eager to ride through uptown Charlotte in a driverless car after Waymo’s February announcement, experts say you may have to wait a bit longer.
Read more Exiled Nicaraguan journalist detained by ICE in Florida. He could be deported
The subsidiary of Alphabet, the parent company of Google, announced plans to expand to Charlotte in late February. The autonomous ride-hailing service is available in large metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco. But kinks are still being worked out in Charlotte.
Waymo plans to operate in and around Charlotte’s uptown core and expand gradually over time, the company said.
The company has not disclosed specific routes or announced when it will begin accepting passengers. Waymo began testing its vehicles on Charlotte-area roads in late February. Its rollout typically starts with human-driven trips, followed by autonomous testing with a specialist in the driver’s seat before progressing to fully driverless rides.
A timeline was not provided for fully driverless operations.
Here’s what we know after Waymo announced plans for Charlotte more than six months ago.
Every city and state is different, and Charlotte isn’t taking longer than typical markets, according to Waymo spokesperson Ethan Teicher. As of Sept. 10, Waymo did not have a timeline to share.
The company began autonomous testing with trained specialists behind the wheel during the summer.
“We’re making good progress on all fronts — validating our technology, establishing service centers, and investing in the local jobs to support our operations,” Teicher told The Charlotte Observer. “We look forward to serving residents and visitors in Charlotte.”
The company did not provide additional information.
Expanding Waymo into a new city takes about six to 12 months, from launching operations to taking customers, according to Sam Abuelsamid, vice president of market research for Telemetry, an agency focused on automotive research.
“Beyond just the core technology of how do you make a vehicle safely drive around its environment, there are a lot of other things that have to be taken into account to actually make a viable commercial business that doesn’t annoy your potential customers,” Abuelsamid said.
Read more Charlotte shocked NC with I-77 tolls flip-flop. Will city do it again Monday?
It takes about one to two months to map roads, lanes, curbs and traffic signals, followed by manual driving and testing with safety drivers.
“Vehicles have to be in constant communication with their base,” he said, referring to issues such as cellular connection drops. “If there happens to be a cellular dead zone in a city and they lose connectivity, sometimes the vehicles will just pull over and stop until they get help.”
The work also includes setting up charging depots and cleaning and maintenance hubs for the vehicles.
Securing city and state permits for ride-hailing and taxi operations is another step, according to Abuelsamid.
Operational challenges include establishing communication protocols with local police and firefighters.
Since the vehicles rely on continuous cellular connectivity, a lost signal could cause them to pull over while awaiting assistance. Noise from late-night maneuvering and backup alarms at depots could also lead to complaints from nearby residents.
As of September 2026, Waymo offers fully autonomous ride-hailing in 14 U.S. cities or regions: Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, Orlando, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, Tampa and the San Francisco Bay Area. Waymo rides are also available through Uber in some markets, including Austin and Atlanta. The company says it has surpassed 500,000 fully autonomous trips per week and 20 million total trips.
Waymo became a separate Alphabet company in 2016 after beginning as Google’s self-driving car project. Boston and Sacramento are among the locations where Waymo is preparing for future commercial service. Fares vary by location, distance and demand.
Read more ‘Juvenile’ killed, adult injured when shots are fired at multiple homes, CMPD says
