The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) just cleared Waymo to charge passengers for driverless rides across a significantly larger portion of the state. On August 14, the CPUC staff approved two advice letters that expand Waymo's paid robotaxi service to Sacramento and San Diego, and authorize the company to operate its newly renamed Ojai minivan platform without a safety driver.

This regulatory approval fills a critical gap. While California's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) had already expanded Waymo's operational territory in November 2025 to include more of Northern and Southern California, the CPUC approval was needed to allow the company to actually collect fares from passengers in those regions without a safety driver present.

What Is the Ojai, and Why Does It Matter?

The Ojai is Waymo's rebranded version of the Zeekr minivan, which the company is adding to its existing fleet of Jaguar I-PACE vehicles. This expansion gives Waymo more vehicle options for different passenger needs and represents a step toward scaling its robotaxi service beyond a single vehicle model. The company has already begun test rides with the Ojai platform, signaling its readiness to deploy the new vehicle type.

Who Supported and Opposed This Expansion?

The regulatory process revealed clear divisions over Waymo's expansion. A total of 37 organizations backed the CPUC approval, including disability advocacy groups, senior citizen organizations, chambers of commerce, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. These supporters see potential benefits in expanded transportation options and safer roads.

Opposition came primarily from local transit and taxi interests. The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System and its Taxicab Advisory Committee filed protests, raising concerns about blocked streets, interference with trolley tracks, job displacement for taxi drivers, and the lack of local veto power over the expansion. However, CPUC staff determined that these arguments did not meet the formal protest criteria, treating them instead as policy questions already decided by other agencies or matters for separate regulatory proceedings.

How to Understand the Timeline for Actual Service Launch

• Regulatory Approval: The CPUC staff disposition was issued on August 14, 2026, clearing Waymo to begin fared driverless service in Sacramento, San Diego, and with the Ojai platform effective that same date.
• Gradual Rollout: Waymo has stated that expansion will be gradual and guided by its safety framework, meaning the company will not launch service everywhere simultaneously.
• No Launch Date Announced: As of the CPUC approval, Waymo had not publicly named a specific date for paid rides to begin in Sacramento or San Diego, leaving a gap between regulatory permission and actual service availability.

The distinction between regulatory approval and real-world deployment is crucial. Permission to operate is not the same as cars picking up passengers on every street tomorrow. California's ongoing legal battle over driverless trucks, led by the Teamsters union, demonstrates how complex the final steps of autonomous vehicle deployment can become. Waymo must now convert its CPUC approval into actual operational logistics, including driver training, customer support infrastructure, and coordination with local authorities.

What Safety Questions Did Regulators Ask?

During the approval process, CPUC staff requested additional details from Waymo on two specific safety concerns: how the company would handle unaccompanied minors using the service, and what safeguards would protect riders during system outages. Waymo responded to these questions in a supplemental filing called Advice Letter 0004-A, which the CPUC staff accepted as satisfactory.

These questions reflect regulators' focus on edge cases and failure modes that could affect passenger safety and experience. Unaccompanied minors represent a vulnerable population, and service outages could leave riders stranded if the company lacks clear protocols. Waymo's willingness to address these concerns in writing suggests the company has developed specific procedures for both scenarios, though the details of those procedures were not disclosed in the public regulatory record.

The CPUC approval represents a major milestone for Waymo's expansion strategy, but the real test comes next: converting regulatory permission into reliable, profitable service that wins over skeptical local communities and taxi drivers. The company's track record in San Francisco and Los Angeles will likely influence how quickly it can scale operations in Sacramento and San Diego.