For several years, autonomous driving has oscillated between technological promises and industrial challenges. But between spectacular announcements and operational realities,
few players have managed to establish themselves in the long term.
Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, is now moving forward with a more discreet but methodical strategy. Today, the company seems ready to take a new step , both financially and geographically…
An extraordinary fundraising effort for the robotaxi
According to a recent article in The Information , Waymo is currently in discussions to raise more than $15 billion , at a valuation that could approach $100 billion , or even reach $110 billion according to some scenarios considered.
Alphabet would participate in this funding round alongside external investors, in final amounts which have not yet been determined.
This operation would mark a spectacular leap compared to the previous round in October last year, which valued Waymo at just over $45 billion , where at the time Alphabet had already played a leading role in the financing.
If this new round of funding is confirmed, it would reflect the group’s desire to accelerate significantly in autonomous mobility, while also opening up the capital more to external partners.
But for Alphabet, the stakes go beyond simple valuation. Indeed, Sundar Pichai recently indicated that Waymo could begin to contribute significantly to the group’s financial results as early as 2027, a sign of his confidence in the progressive maturation of the business model…
Waymo, an operational leader in the face of Tesla
In the field of autonomous vehicles, Waymo currently has a significant lead over most of its competitors, including Tesla. The company claims the most kilometers driven without a driver , as well as a larger customer base than any other player in the United States.
Waymo currently operates fully autonomous robotaxi services in several major US cities , including New York since last August .
The company has surpassed 450,000 weekly paid trips and plans to reach 14 million cumulative trips by the end of 2025, with a longer-term goal of 20 million trips since its launch in 2020.
An international expansion now openly acknowledged
Beyond the United States, Waymo now has international ambitions . The company is testing or operating its vehicles at 26 different locations and plans to expand its service to numerous American cities starting next year, including Dallas , Miami , Las Vegas , and Washington DC .
And most importantly, Waymo announced its intention to launch in London in 2026 , its first foray outside the United States. This signal confirms that Alphabet’s subsidiary is no longer content with simply experimenting with autonomous driving, but is seeking to establish itself as a global player in automated transportation.