This is exciting! I wonder how they determine which cities are next in line? Probably regulation and governance?

xnx 7 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Multiple factors: market viability, climate compatibility, capacity, and definitely regulatory factors. Currently DC, NYC, Boston and Chicago are all being slowed down by anti-Waymo groups like Uber drivers and public-transit lobbyists.

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bojan 7 hours ago | parent [-]

Waymo is a sort of public transit. It's just an vastly more inefficient than any other form of public transit, but an order of magnitude more efficient than private passenger cars.

	▲	xnx 6 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		> Waymo is a sort of public transit. Definitely, and at no cost to taxpayers. > It's just an vastly more inefficient than any other form of public transit Waymo is less efficient in the narrow case of transporting hundreds of people between two specific points at a specific time, but more efficient for almost every other case. If Waymo had dedicated right-of-way in the same way trains do, it would be more efficient.
	▲	pavon 5 hours ago \| parent \| prev \| next [-]
		Depends on your definition of efficiency. Any ride service will drive more miles thus resulting in more congestion and more energy use than personal vehicles, because in addition to driving from point A1 to B1, they have to drive from B1 to A2. They get closer with density but never match. They will also always be more expensive to operate per mile because you need to cover the cost of the driver (human or machine). The flip side is drastically fewer parking spaces needed, most of which can be located outside of the city core. And decreased costs due to fewer accidents.
	▲	smilekzs 7 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		Or, more neutrally, a different tradeoff point between mass transit and personal cars.

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grubbs 8 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I think Baltimore soon. Seen them testing around the city.

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hdndjsbbs 8 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Wouldn't Baltimore be the first Waymo market that actually gets snow? I don't think they've cracked driving in a real Midwest/northeast winter.

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Sleaker 7 hours ago | parent | next [-]

We do get ice and snow in Portland, along with flooding and landslides. No, it's not the same as Midwest, but we do get a few days every other year or so that you just don't drive out in. The black ice around a couple curvy sections of i-5 are notoriously bad at night in winters. (Terwilliger)

	▲	rootusrootus 5 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I have lived in the midwest, as well as Portland. It is good that Portland only occasionally gets ice, because in like-for-like conditions it is way more dangerous than the midwest. Primarily because of hills. I found driving in snow & ice in the midwest to be mostly a non-event, even on inadequate tires.

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jrflo 7 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

They're currently testing in Minneapolis and plan to launch in the next year to the public, so they seem to think they can crack tough winters

	▲	strictnein 7 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		I really hope we're able to get them without the city council messing things up. The way they reacted to the news at first, you'd think Minneapolis was the first city to ever have autonomous vehicles. That, mixed with a heavy dose of "What about the buggy whip makers??"
	▲	vjvjvjvjghv 7 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		Wow. That will be a tough one. Driving on dry and even wet roads is quite predictable but snow is a completely different game.

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tomwheeler 8 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> Wouldn't Baltimore be the first Waymo market that actually gets snow?

No, we have them in St. Louis and it snows a few times per year here.

	▲	hdndjsbbs 7 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Let me put it this way, I don't think they're operating in USDA Hardiness Zones of 1-5. https://www.botanicalinterests.com/community/blog/usda-hardi...

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davidw 8 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Portland gets very occasional snow. But they'll probably just shut the Waymos down along with everything else that shuts when there's snow and ice.

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derwiki 7 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

They’ve been testing in Truckee, CA for years

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lern_too_spel 7 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

They're in Detroit, Denver, Minneapolis, and D.C.

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grogenaut 7 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

portland gets snow

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whoodle 7 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

They’re being tested in Philly right now too

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starkparker 7 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

If it's the latter then Portland makes little sense. There are no regulations allowing it and the bill to enable it is still in motion at the state level (and not a slam dunk).

https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2026/04/self-driving-car...

> Hannah Schafer, communications director for the Portland Bureau of Transportation, said Waymo is welcome to map out the city streets.

> “All they’re doing right now is basically taking pictures. Taking pictures in the right of way, anyone is allowed to do that. That’s not something that we regulate,” Schafer said.

> However, she said the city would regulate the testing and driving of autonomous cars.

> “No one can drive driverless vehicles in Portland without a permit,” Schafer said. “That is not allowed.”

...

> Portland fought vigorously with Uber over the terms of its local arrival a decade ago and a battle is already brewing over Waymo. Portland council member Mitch Green staked out his opposition in January, telling constituents on Bluesky, “You should know I don’t support that.”

...

> Oregon legislators considered a bill earlier this year that would have set statewide rules for self-driving cars, and would have prohibited local governments from imposing blanket prohibitions on autonomous vehicles. The bill died in committee following opposition from local governments.