Google-backed robotaxi firm Waymo hit an important rides milestone

Alphabet Inc’s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) robotaxi firm Waymo revealed it has doubled its weekly rides to 100,000, which it reported as an important milestone in its operations.

It comes just three months after Waymo expanded its services across key markets in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix.

Waymo has a fleet comprising hundreds of fully autonomous electric vehicles, without drivers.

The Google company’s announcement, which came via social media, is timely, preceding an anticipated rollout of Tesla’s robotaxi plans in October.

Meanwhile, other robotaxi ventures are also progressing – namely General Motors’ Cruise and Amazon's Zoox.

At Waymo, Alphabet has committed to a multi-year $5 billion investment programme.

The investment comes at a time when the autonomous vehicle industry is working to battle scepticism, regulatory challenges, and legal challenges.