Waymo

Waymo said on Oct 20, 2026 that it plans to launch a fully autonomous ride-hailing service in Spain's Madrid region in 2027, its first deployment in the country, operating under the DGT's testing framework. Its electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles will begin appearing on Madrid streets in the coming days with trained specialists behind the wheel, ahead of a phased validation. Uber and WeRide received Spain's first national AV testing permits last month. The move opens a new country and revenue geography for Waymo's core robotaxi business.

Source: Waymo

Semafor reported on Oct 19, 2026 that Waymo, which currently has 4,000 cars, plans to reach 8,000 by the end of the year and 20,000 by the end of next year, using the $5 billion it recently borrowed, according to people familiar with the matter; Reuters carried the report. Waymo declined to comment; it operates in 15 US cities. The report discloses Waymo's current fleet size and a sharp planned scale-up of its core robotaxi operation.

Source: Semafor

Bloomberg reported on 6 October 2026 that Waymo increased the size of its inaugural private debt raise to $5 billion, tapping lenders including Pimco and Blackstone to help fund its growth. It is the Alphabet-owned robotaxi company's first debt financing, upsized from the amount previously sought. A $5B non-equity capital base lets Waymo fund fleet and geographic expansion without further dilution of its equity holders.

Source: Bloomberg

Waymo announced on Sept 18, 2026 that it will launch a fully autonomous, all-electric ride-hailing service in Singapore by 2028, its first Southeast Asia market and fourth country. Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said the company will create local operational jobs and complement Singapore's public transit network; its Jaguar I-PACE vehicles are due to arrive in the coming months, and Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow called the move a game-changer. The entry opens a new revenue geography days after Waymo's Tokyo announcement and puts it head-to-head with WeRide and Pony AI, which already run Singapore pilots with Grab and ComfortDelGro.

Source: Reuters

Waymo is tapping Pimco and Blackstone to raise about $3 billion in its first-ever debt deal, providing fresh capital to fund robotaxi fleet and infrastructure expansion.

Source: Bloomberg.com

Alphabet's Waymo revealed custom-designed chips built to power its next-generation autonomous vehicles, deepening its vertical integration of the self-driving compute stack.

Source: TechRepublic

Nevada has granted regulatory approval for over 7,000 robotaxis to operate in the state, including vehicles from Waymo, Tesla, and Uber, marking a major expansion of autonomous ride-hailing in the region.

Source: TechCrunch