Philadelphia skyline at blue hour.
Share and Follow

A SELF-DRIVING taxi company is coming to a new US city – and natives aren’t too excited.

Waymo is looking to expand its autonomous fleet to Philadelphia, launching the cars first with human safety drivers during a trial run.

Philadelphia skyline at blue hour.

The testing will go on throughout the fall (stock image)Credit: Getty
Waymo self-driving Jaguar on city street.

The company is already running autonomous vehicles in San Francisco, among other US cities (stock image)Credit: Getty

The company, owned by Alphabet, plans to begin testing its cars with human drivers starting this summer and going through autumn.

Waymo cars will not only drive in downtown parts, but on freeways as well, according to CNBC.

“Folks will see our vehicles driving at all hours throughout various neighborhoods, from North Central to Eastwick, and from University City to as far east as the Delaware River,” a Waymo spokesperson said, according to the outlet.

The goal is to collect data and see how the technology works in new locations, while scouting out if a city could work in the future for ride-share services.

“To bring the benefits of our technology to more people in more places and deliver on our mission to improve road safety, we take the Waymo Driver on road trips to regions where the driving culture and conditions differ from the areas we regularly operate,” the company wrote.

Waymo announced the Philadelphia expansion on X.

“This city is a National Treasure,” the company tweeted.

“It’s a city of love, where eagles fly with a gritty spirit and cheese that spreads and cheese that steaks. Our road trip continues to Philly next.”

Many comments slammed the decision, including Philadelphians themselves.

“Keep that garbage off our streets,” wrote one user.

Watch world’s first self-driving car dubbed ‘absurd’ by its OWN inventor hit the road in incredible unearthed footage

“You should stay out,” commented another.

Users brought up the time HitchBOT, a hitchhiking robot that had traveled to other countries and just began its journey in the United States, was beheaded when it arrived in the city in 2015.

“Don’t you remember the last robot that tried to scoot around Philly?” one person wrote.

Waymo is working to expand its fully-autonomous operations in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin, Texas, dealing out 250,000 paid trips a week.

The cars are fully electric, and passengers can book a ride 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Next year, the company plans to offer fully-autonomous rides in Atlanta, Miami, and Washington D.C.

Waymo has also just begun testing in New York City.

It claimed that it is “advocating for changes to state law to allow us to bring our fully autonomous ride-hailing service to the city one day.”

The law currently doesn’t allow for vehicles driving without someone behind the wheel.

The trial in the Big Apple, however, will have drivers in the car.

A Waymo self-driving car on a San Francisco street.

Self-driving cars have gotten mixed reviews from the public (stock image)Credit: Getty
Share and Follow
You May Also Like

PBS Reports Military Officers Seeking Legal Counsel in Response to Trump’s Directives: Unraveling the Situation

There are moments when the frustration with PBS can reach its…

Unveiling the Mystery: Why the RNC is Taking Legal Action Against New Jersey’s Secretary of State Over Secretive Voter Rolls

The Republican National Committee (RNC) has grown increasingly frustrated with New…

Revealed: Barron Trump’s Inauguration Day Whisper to Joe Biden Uncovered

For nearly ten months, political enthusiasts and onlookers have been captivated…

Democrats Unveil Surprising 2026 Election Strategy: A New ‘Boogeyman’ Emerges

In the 2025 elections, if you reside in one of the…

Sydney Sweeney and Jennifer Lawrence Shine in Stunning Outfits at the 16th Governors Awards

Hollywood’s elite gathered in style for the 16th Governors Awards in Los…

Joni Ernst Advocates for an End to No-Bid Contracts Following Revelations of Multi-Million Dollar Bribery Scandals

In a decisive move to curb misuse of government contracts, Senator Joni…

White House Highlights Decrease in Foreign Student-Workers Filling White-Collar Positions

In a recent announcement, the White House highlighted a decrease in the…

Criticism Aimed at Nikki Haley’s Son Over Remarks on Housing Crisis

Nikki Haley’s son, Nalin, made his television debut on Fox News, where…