The decision follows a seven-month review process that addressed safety protocols during service disruptions and the transportation of unaccompanied minors.
This expansion significantly increases Waymo's potential reach, covering the majority of California's population and a diverse range of driving environments, including freeways, rural roads, and rail crossings.
By securing this broad authority, Waymo strengthens its lead in the commercial robotaxi industry—services that use automated systems to drive without human intervention.
While competitors like Tesla operate in similar regions, regulators noted that those services currently rely on human safety drivers and lack the specific autonomous vehicle permits that require the rigorous safety reporting and data transparency now mandated for Waymo.
Moving forward, Waymo stated that the rollout across these new territories will be gradual and dictated by the company’s internal safety framework.
The approval covers both the existing Jaguar I-Pace fleet and the new "Ojai" robotaxi, which utilizes Waymo’s sixth-generation driving technology.
While the legal path is clear, full deployment will depend on the logistical scaling of physical infrastructure, including vehicle depots, charging stations, and high-definition mapping for the newly approved counties.