Alphabet Inc.-owned Waymo LLC announced today that its continued expansion of robotaxi services into U.S. cities will now include Miami, Florida, where it will set up shop in 2026.

The fleet of driverless taxis will take to the streets first in 2025 with a human test driver at the wheel, after which the full driverless experience will be available through the Waymo One app. This comes after the company released its robotaxis in Los Angeles and San Francisco, an expansion backed by substantial funding. Waymo rides are now ordered about 150,000 times per week in those two cities.

The company will also soon expand into Austin and Atlanta. In September this year, it partnered with Uber Technologies Inc. to give driverless rides to the denizens of Phoenix, Arizona, with Uber managing the fleet and running operations. Waymo’s Jaguar I-PACE electric cars in Miami will be managed by the African startup Moove, which will manage Waymo’s fleet operations, facilities and charging infrastructure.

“Fully autonomous driving technology offers a safe and convenient option to the people of Miami,” said Miami Mayor Francis X. Suarez. “I’m so pleased to welcome Waymo to our city. Waymo’s commitment to sustainability with their all-electric fleet is the perfect mobility option to our city as we continue to prioritize low-cost, clean energy.”

Though there will be people who are still hesitant to climb inside a car with no driver at the wheel, Waymo will tell you it’s not as risky as you might think. The company conducted research earlier this year, tracking its cars more than 7 million miles across Phoenix, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Waymo said the results show a robotaxi ride was 6.7 times less likely to get into a crash and 2.3 times less likely to get on the wrong side of a police officer.

That said, Waymo’s robotaxi army is currently under federal investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration after a series of incidents involving a car and other objects that a report said a competent human driver could have easily avoided. The company has also had to issue recalls of its software after collision incidents.

Photo: Waymo