Waymo Expands Autonomous Driving to Icy Cityscapes

In November 2025, Waymo, the self-driving car company, announced plans to expand its autonomous vehicle services to several new cities, including San Diego, Las Vegas, and Detroit. This marks a significant step for the company as it ventures beyond its current operations in sun-soaked regions like California and Arizona.

While Waymo's vehicles, the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace and Zeekr RT, will initially operate in manual mode with human drivers, the company is gearing up to transition to fully autonomous operations in these new locations. Waymo already has driverless operations in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, and is also driving with safety drivers in New York City, Denver, and in partnership with Uber in Atlanta and Austin.

The expansion to cities known for their harsh winters, such as Detroit, poses a unique challenge for Waymo's autonomous driving technology. Unlike the relatively mild conditions in its current operating areas, these new locations will test the company's ability to navigate slick, icy roads and poor visibility. Waymo has acknowledged this challenge and claims its AI-powered systems can adapt to such adverse weather conditions, adjusting the vehicles' behavior accordingly.

As Waymo continues to push the boundaries of autonomous driving, its foray into winter-prone cities will be closely watched. The company's success in these new environments could pave the way for wider adoption of self-driving technology, even in the most challenging of weather conditions.