Waymo’s accelerated 2026 rollout, fueled by deployment of its sixth-generation Ojai robotaxis on Zeekr platforms and simultaneous public launches in Denver, San Diego, Tampa, and Las Vegas, forms the core driver behind trader views on additional city entries by year-end. The company now operates paid autonomous ride-hailing in 15 U.S. markets, averaging 500,000 weekly trips while scaling its fleet toward 5,100 new vehicles and a 1 million rides-per-week target. Recent California regulatory approvals for broader operations, Texas fleet growth, and partnerships such as Uber integration support further Sun Belt and Midwest expansion, though international timelines like London remain uncertain amid varying safety-driver rules and mapping requirements. Key swing factors include pending approvals in markets such as Washington D.C., Detroit, and Seattle plus any late-year regulatory or supply-chain developments.