🚘 Waymo raises $16 billion to expand self-driving cars globally

🚘 Waymo raises $16 billion to expand self-driving cars globally

Waymo has secured $16 billion in an investment round valuing the company at $126 billion. In 2025, Waymo tripled its rides to 15 million and plans to expand to over 20 new cities in 2026.

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  • Waymo has secured $16 billion in an investment round valuing the company at $126 billion.
  • The company's self-driving cars have reduced serious crashes by 90 percent compared to human drivers.
  • In 2025, Waymo tripled its rides to 15 million and plans to expand to over 20 new cities in 2026.

Record investment in self-driving technology

The American company Waymo has secured an investment round of $16 billion. It is one of the largest investments ever in self-driving vehicles. The round values the company at $126 billion.

Alphabet, Google's parent company, continues as the majority owner. The capital comes from a number of major technology and venture capital investors.

90 percent fewer serious crashes

Waymo's self-driving cars have now driven 127 million miles fully autonomously. That is equivalent to traveling to the moon and back over 260 times. During these drives, the company has achieved a 90 percent reduction in serious crashes compared to human drivers.

The explanation is that self-driving technology is not affected by the most common causes of traffic accidents. Distraction, intoxication, and fatigue do not exist for an autonomous system.

Tripled the number of rides in 2025

In 2025, Waymo tripled its annual volume to 15 million rides. In total, the company has now completed over 20 million rides since launch. Every week, Waymo provides more than 400,000 rides across six major American metropolitan areas.

The company recently launched the service in Miami. Now Waymo plans to start operations in over 20 new cities in 2026. Tokyo and London are among the planned markets.

Capital to finance global expansion

The new capital will be used to expand both the vehicle fleet and the workforce. The focus is on bringing self-driving cars to more cities in the US and internationally.

Saurabh Gupta, co-founder of the investment firm DST Global, says the technology is already saving lives. He points out that self-driving cars will increase productivity and accessibility for millions of people while improving road safety globally.

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