Alphabet's autonomous driving subsidiary, Waymo, is steadily advancing its driverless freeway capabilities, with recent observations highlighting smooth operations. A user identified as "reed" recently shared on social media, "> smooth freeway driving @waymo," indicating a positive experience with the company's autonomous vehicles on highways. This public feedback aligns with Waymo's ongoing efforts to integrate high-speed road navigation into its Waymo One service.
The company has been progressively integrating freeway driving into its operational areas, including Phoenix, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area. As of early 2025, Waymo initiated testing without human safety drivers on freeways, primarily for its internal staff, with plans for a gradual expansion to the public. This phased approach allows Waymo to meticulously gather data and refine its system in complex, high-speed environments before wider deployment.
Waymo's autonomous vehicles have accumulated over 71 million miles through March 2025, demonstrating a robust safety record. The company reports an 88% reduction in crashes leading to serious injuries and 78% fewer injury-causing crashes compared to human drivers over the same distance. The Waymo Driver utilizes a sophisticated suite of sensors, including cameras, radar, and lidar, combined with artificial intelligence to perceive and navigate its surroundings, handling scenarios from dense urban traffic to high-speed freeway merges.
While significant progress has been made, the expansion has not been without its challenges. In May 2025, Waymo issued a recall for 1,212 vehicles due to a software glitch that caused some cars to collide with roadway barriers. Despite such incidents, Waymo remains focused on scaling its Waymo One ride-hailing services, having recently expanded its reach in multiple U.S. cities and planning further deployments, including a partnership with Uber in Atlanta set for early 2025. The company continues to refine its freeway driving feature, anticipating future public availability.