# California approval expands Waymo's paid driverless service area

_Published Saturday, August 15, 2026 at 10:17 PM EDT · Robotics · Latest · Tier 1 — Major_

![California approval expands Waymo's paid driverless service area — Primary](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/waymo_ojai_hero_mp4_hd.original.jpg?resize=1200%2C628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)

California regulators approved Waymo's authority to charge for fully driverless rides across 18 counties, according to Waymo and reporting on its CPUC advice letter.

The approval covers the Bay Area and Los Angeles and permits new markets in Sacramento and San Diego. It applies to specified Jaguar I-Pace and Ojai robotaxis across roads including freeways, highways and city streets, in day and night conditions; widespread snow or ice is excluded.

Waymo said rollout will be gradual and subject to its safety framework, with vehicles, charging, mapping and support still needed before service launches.

## Sources

- [Electrek](https://electrek.co/2026/08/14/waymo-cpuc-approval-california-expansion-18-counties/)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/IGCi1ia-K0NpFEoocLOhEA
Published: 2026-08-16T02:17:44.607Z
Story chronology: 2026-08-14T19:47:16.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-09-30T09:14:50.010Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)