Alphabet subsidiary Waymo unveiled its sixth-generation Waymo Driver on February 12. The new system features 17-megapixel imaging sensors. It also utilizes sixth-generation LiDAR technology to improve performance in adverse weather and reduce operational costs. These advancements maintain Waymo's technological lead over Tesla’s FSD offering.
The company plans to expand from six current U.S. cities to 20 new locations by 2026. Targeted expansion markets include London and Tokyo. Waymo aims to reach 1 million paid robotaxi rides weekly by the end of the year. This target represents a 150% increase over current volume. The company currently facilitates 400,000 weekly rides.
Alphabet shares rose 0.61% in pre-market trading on February 18. The stock reached a price of $304.67 during the session. These gains occurred despite broader tech sector pressure from AI valuation concerns and the release of Alibaba’s competing Qwen 3.5 model.