News Summary

Waymo’s co-CEO, Tekedra Mawakana, emphasized the importance of scaling the company’s robotaxi operations to enhance road safety during her appearance at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. Waymo plans to expand its services to several U.S. cities and London by 2026, targeting 1 million trips per week. Mawakana highlighted the company’s partnerships with Uber, Lyft, and Avis to achieve these goals. Despite recent incidents, like a vehicle pulling out in front of a stopped school bus in Atlanta, Waymo asserts its vehicles are significantly safer than human drivers, as evidenced by their recent safety report. Mawakana stressed the need for transparency and accountability in the autonomous vehicle industry, taking a subtle jab at competitors for not being as forthcoming. She acknowledged the inevitability of incidents while expressing confidence that society will accept the risks given the promise of enhanced safety.