Bay Area and Las Vegas Robotaxis: Where to Ride (Fall 2026)

November 2, 2026

Key points

Waymo is the only Bay Area robotaxi taking paying riders with no one in the driver’s seat, from SF to San Jose.
Zoox rides are free by invitation in San Francisco and have been paid in Las Vegas since August 10, 2026.
Waymo has not announced when the CPUC-approved East Bay service or SFO trips will open to every rider.

Six months ago, taking a Bay Area robotaxi meant one thing: open the Waymo app in San Francisco or on the Peninsula. That is still the easiest option, but the map has changed since our spring 2026 guide.

Waymo now reaches deeper into the South Bay, Zoox charges fares in Las Vegas, and Waymo now gives the Strip a second driverless option. Tesla’s Bay Area service, by contrast, still has a person in the driver’s seat.

This guide sorts out who you can ride with, where, and what to expect as of early November 2026. Service areas change often, so treat the app as the final word.

Waymo in the Bay Area: Open to Anyone From SF to San Jose

Waymo is the only company in the Bay Area that takes paying riders with no one in the driver’s seat. Its San Francisco page says anyone can ride: download the app, create an account, and request a trip. Waymo says its service area stretches from San Francisco south to San Jose.

Waymo’s South Bay coverage keeps growing. In May 2026, Waymo added more destinations in San Jose and Campbell. On October 27, it announced a further push south that includes a connection to BART at Berryessa Station in San Jose.

Freeways and airports are where the details matter:

– Freeways: Waymo began offering freeway trips in the Bay Area in November 2025, opening them to more public riders over time. If the app does not offer you freeway routes yet, your account may not have access. – San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC): Curbside pickup and drop-off at the terminals has been part of the service since November 2025. – San Francisco International Airport (SFO): Service began on January 29, 2026, at the Rental Car Center, a short AirTrain ride from the terminals. Waymo first opened it to a limited group of riders and said it would gradually extend access to everyone. Waymo’s San Francisco page still says the company does not serve SFO, so check the app before you plan an airport trip.

You may also get a different car. In August 2026, Waymo opened its next-generation Ojai minivan to all riders in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, TechCrunch reported. For now, riders cannot choose between the Ojai and the familiar Jaguar I-Pace; the app assigns one.

How Your First Waymo Ride Works

The steps are simple. You set a destination, unlock the doors with the app, buckle up, and tap to start. The passenger screen then shows what the car sees and the route it plans to take.

A few rules can catch first-time riders off guard, especially families:

– Age: You must be 18 or older to use the app and ride alone. Teen accounts for ages 13 to 17 exist only in the Phoenix and Nashville areas, not in California. – Guests: Minors who are not part of your family need consent from a parent or legal guardian, and you must stay with your guests for the whole trip. – Car seats: Bring your own car seat or booster seat for children under 8. Children under 8 cannot sit in the front seat. – Group size: Each car takes up to four riders.

Waymo also publishes its own safety data. The company reports 271.3 million miles driven with no human driver through June 2026. Based on its own analysis, Waymo reports 95% fewer crashes causing serious or worse injuries than human-driver benchmarks in the same operating areas.

East Bay Service: Approved but Not Yet Open

State regulators have cleared the way for the East Bay. The California Public Utilities Commission approved Waymo’s expansion on August 14, 2026, covering the East Bay and other parts of the state, Electrek and other outlets reported.

The approval lets Waymo expand, but East Bay riders cannot book trips until the service actually launches there. Waymo said it would expand gradually and in line with its safety framework. It has not announced a start date for Oakland, Berkeley, or the rest of the East Bay.

Zoox: Free in San Francisco, Paid in Las Vegas

Amazon-owned Zoox builds its robotaxi from the ground up. It has no steering wheel and no pedals, and four riders sit facing one another. How you get a ride depends on the city.

San Francisco. Zoox rides are free and come through the Zoox Explorers program, which uses a waitlist. TechCrunch reported in August that Zoox still needs two more permits to operate commercially in California. The California DMV lists Zoox for driverless testing but not for deployment. If you would rather not wait for an invitation, Zoox also offers complimentary rides through its Rider Lounge at 301 Sutter Street in Union Square. Check availability before you go.

Las Vegas. Zoox began charging for rides on August 10, 2026. TechCrunch reported that fares are made up of a base fare plus charges for distance and time, and that riders see the price before they book. Since September 3, Zoox has served Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), with pickups and drop-offs at both terminals. Our firsthand Zoox ride review from October 2025 covers what the cabin feels like, and our report on the airport launch (Japanese) has the terminal details.

Tesla: A Human Is Still at the Wheel in California

Tesla offers rides in the Bay Area, but they are not driverless. As of October 23, 2026, the California DMV lists Tesla only among companies permitted to test with a safety driver. Tesla does not appear on the DMV’s lists for driverless testing or deployment.

In March 2026, Electrek reported that a California Public Utilities Commission official described Tesla’s Bay Area operation as a chauffeur service, not an autonomous one. So if you want to ride with no one in the driver’s seat in the Bay Area, Waymo and Zoox are the only options for now.

Las Vegas Now Has Two Driverless Options

Both services are open to the public in some form. Zoox is already charging fares. Waymo began welcoming public riders on September 14, 2026, in an area that runs from Boulder Junction up the Strip to Sahara Avenue, and from the edge of Spring Valley to Winchester.

Waymo is letting riders in gradually there. On October 21, it gave current Las Vegas riders access to Harry Reid International Airport, with pickups and drop-offs at dedicated zones on the ground level of Terminals 1 and 3. The company says it will add more riders before opening the service to everyone.

More competitors are coming. On August 20, the Nevada Transportation Authority approved applications from Tesla, Waymo, and Aviari Services to run paid driverless passenger service in Clark County. Permits still require operators to meet the authority’s conditions.

What to Watch Next

In the Bay Area, Waymo has not said when East Bay riders will see the service in the app, or when SFO trips will open to every rider. Zoox still needs California permits before it can charge fares in San Francisco.

Tesla has no driverless permit in California, so any change there would start with the DMV and the CPUC. In Las Vegas, it is not yet clear when Waymo will open to everyone or when Tesla will start carrying riders under its Nevada approval. Outside the U.S., Waymo plans to put Toyota-built robotaxis (Japanese) on the road in Japan starting in 2027.