Waymo to Begin Self-Driving Vehicle Testing in Detroit, Expanding into Midwest Weather
Detroit, MI – November 3, 2025 – Waymo, the autonomous driving technology company, announced today it will begin testing self-driving vehicles on Detroit roads, marking a significant expansion into regions with challenging and unpredictable weather conditions. The move signals Waymo’s ambition to operate beyond its current base in warmer climates.
Waymo, which originated as a Google self-driving car project in 2009, currently provides hundreds of thousands of fully autonomous trips each week in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Atlanta, and Austin, Texas. the company operates a fleet of over 2,000 electrified vehicles, completing approximately 250,000 trips weekly.
The Detroit expansion is part of a broader growth strategy for Waymo,which also announced plans to begin testing in San Diego and Las Vegas on November 3rd. The company has already logged “tens of thousands of miles” in snowy conditions in Upstate New York, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and the Sierra Nevada mountains, preparing for the challenges of a Midwestern winter.
“We can melt off snow and ice with powerful heaters, clear away debris with miniature wipers, and we can apply wiper fluid to remove salt and road grime as things like that build up,” explained Waymo representative retter.
The rollout in Detroit will be phased, requiring close collaboration with local officials and partners. Waymo intends to utilize existing public infrastructure where possible,but anticipates needing dedicated facilities.
“We may temporarily use public charging infrastructure in this early phase of testing, but we will establish operations centers for charging, maintenance, and cleaning as we scale our fleet and prepare to welcome public riders,” said Waymo spokesman Chris Bonelli, noting the company operates nearly 1,000 vehicles in the San francisco Bay Area alone.Specific infrastructure needs beyond current Detroit offerings were not detailed.
Waymo’s initial goal in 2009 was to achieve 100-mile autonomous routes. The company’s expansion into Detroit represents a key step towards broader deployment of its technology and a future of fully autonomous transportation.
