Waymo’s latest expansion strategy: teenagers


Waymo will allow teenagers as young as 13 to use its robotaxi service in Nashville as the Alphabet-owned company looks to scale its business by reaching a new group of riders.

Nashville is the second city to offer Waymo teen accounts; the company kicked off its teen account program in Phoenix last year. And more cities are likely to follow, according to the company.

A Waymo spokesperson told TechCrunch that its expansion to Nashville will be the “first of many” teen launches across multiple markets that use the Waymo app in the coming months. The spokesperson said it will offer teen accounts in cities where its operations are mature and local regulations allow it.

Nashville is a relatively new market for Waymo, although it has support from local leaders to offer the service to teens. The company launched its service in a 50-square-mile area of Nashville in April 2026, and earlier this month, its robotaxis became available on the Lyft app.

Waymo’s ridership has skyrocketed over the past two years — a trajectory largely driven by the rapid succession of new markets. Paid robotaxi trips grew tenfold from 50,000 per week in May 2024 to more than half-a-million per week earlier this year. Over that same time span, Waymo has launched robotaxi services in a dozen cities. In the past month alone, the company opened robotaxi services in Denver, Las Vegas, San Diego, and Tampa.

The company’s introduction of teen accounts provides another means of growth — this one targeted at a demographic that relies on parents or public transit to get to school, work, or activities.

There are few limits to the service. The teen account must be connected to a parent or guardian, but once activated, teens can hail autonomous rides anywhere in Waymo’s service area in Nashville — and bring their friends along. Waymo told TechCrunch that teen account holders can bring up to three guests ages 13 to 17. The company didn’t share how these ages would be verified.

That kind of access could certainly invite chaos — it’s not hard to imagine four 16 year-old kids unleashed in a robotaxi. But it may also be part of the appeal for parents who would rather their kids pile into a Waymo than in a vehicle driven by a teenager.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.



Source link

  • Related Posts

    Save $30 on Apple’s Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and a numpad

    Until the end of the day on September 22nd, 2026, Best Buy and Amazon have the black Apple Magic Keyboard on sale for $169.99, a $30 discount from the usual…

    Continue reading
    Review: Resident Evil might just be the best gaming adaptation yet

    Cregger certainly knows his craft; this is an exceptionally well-made film. It’s a simple narrative structure—Bryan must overcome increasingly difficult obstacles to deliver his package in time—but the pacing is…

    Continue reading

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    You Missed

    Save $30 on Apple’s Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and a numpad

    Save $30 on Apple’s Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and a numpad

    Air New Zealand Pilots Allegedly Fight During San Francisco Layover, Forcing 787 Flight Cancellation

    Air New Zealand Pilots Allegedly Fight During San Francisco Layover, Forcing 787 Flight Cancellation

    B.C. Premier David Eby says he will deliver address, with election call expected

    B.C. Premier David Eby says he will deliver address, with election call expected

    Review: Resident Evil might just be the best gaming adaptation yet

    Review: Resident Evil might just be the best gaming adaptation yet

    Michigan State basketball’s complete 2026-27 schedule is out now

    Michigan State basketball’s complete 2026-27 schedule is out now

    I modded Crazy Taxi into Grand Theft Auto 5

    I modded Crazy Taxi into Grand Theft Auto 5