Waymo Opens Talks on Driverless Taxi Service in Raleigh and Durham

Waymo policy adviser Rich Harrington told a North Carolina transportation summit that the company is in active talks with Research Triangle localities about driverless taxi service in Raleigh and Durham, without naming partners or a timetable. Charlotte remains the expected state debut, likely by late 2027, with digital mapping and supervised testing already under way.

Waymo said it operates in 15 US cities, has announced 18 more locations, has logged about 270 million fully autonomous miles, and claims roughly a 92 percent reduction in serious crashes versus human drivers in the same cities.

The Triangle talks show how Waymo expansion now works: local engagement first, mapping and supervised testing next, and a commercial launch only after the groundwork is done. Raleigh and Durham would extend the company reach into a fast-growing metro it has not served before.