Reporting by Nate Trela, Fort Collins Coloradoan
Robotaxis are getting closer to a big launch in Denver.
Waymo already has its autonomous vehicles, often referred to by others as robotaxis, driving in the city for training. That puts it on track to start providing rides in Denver through its app before the year is out.
Denver would be Waymo’s first city where vehicles could routinely face snowy conditions, an important feat for launching in other markets outside of the Sunbelt.
There are still many details to be ironed out about when the service will launch, but here is a guide to using the service and what people think about it.
Where will you be able to ride Waymo?
The precise service area in Denver has not been announced, but Waymo typically enters new markets by just giving rides in central areas of cities. Denver’s LoDo, RiNo, Cherry Creek and Baker neighborhoods would be logical places to start.
Waymo typically expands service over time to include more of the city and suburban areas as it demonstrates safe operations.
When will Waymo start carrying passengers in Denver?
An exact launch date has yet to be announced, but the company has previously said it is targeting 2026. It has already reached a point in testing where Waymo and Alphabet employees can ride in Waymo vehicles.
How do you use Waymo?
Getting a ride in Waymo is basically the same as in the apps of other ride-share services or taxis. You open an app and enter a destination. You can double check the pickup point, estimated fare and estimated arrival time before calling the ride.
When your vehicle arrives, the app tells you where to find it. You unlock the vehicle with your phone and after you buckle in, you can start the ride with your phone or an in-vehicle touchscreen.
When the vehicle is traveling, you can use the app or the in-vehicle screen to follow your route, adjust the temperature or control the music. A support button also allows you to speak with a human agent or direct the vehicle to pull over early on your route.
Why do some people like robotaxis?
The novelty is a big part of the draw.
The lack of a human driver also means more privacy, in some regards. There’s no pressure to have a conversation. There’s also no pressure to tip.
Disability-focused organizations also say there are issues with discriminatory denials by rideshare drivers, particularly if a would-be passenger has a service animal. The issue was significant enough that Colorado legislators passed a law in 2026 increasing penalties for such denials and requiring greater public accountability for rideshare companies.
Are autonomous vehicles safe?
Waymo says its vehicles are much safer than human drivers, and some data supports it.
The company’s “driver” had logged 220.6 million miles without a human backup driver and with human passengers as of March 2026. Peer-reviewed research by Waymo says its vehicles had 94% fewer in crashes causing serious injuries or worse, and 93% fewer crashes resulting in pedestrian injuries.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety had similar findings, seeing 85% fewer single-vehicle crashes and 81% fewer injury crashes per mile driven than human drivers in the cities it studied.
The IIHS cautioned that there needs to be a better tool for collecting and reporting data as the use of robotaxis increases, and its analysis of Waymo was only possible because it voluntarily provided more data than currently required.
Why don’t some people like robotaxis?
Opposition to the use of robotaxis can focus on financial, safety and privacy concerns. Here are some examples:
- They eliminate jobs. As they become fully autonomous, there are fewer rides or deliveries for human drivers to perform.
- Erratic driving. Autonomous vehicles make conservative decisions on the road. That can mean driving slower, blocking traffic while processing situations like navigating tight streets and generally making decisions that confuse human drivers.
- Obstructive behavior. That slow decision making can cause issues in construction zones or emergency situations. In March, first responders in Texas were blocked by a Waymo vehicle trying to get to the scene of a mass shooting. The system could not process how to respond to the chaos, and it took a first responder getting behind the wheel and driving it to the side to solve the issue. This becomes even more of a concern with newer designs removing driver controls from some vehicles.
- Malfunction fears. General anxiety or experiences people have with automated systems and computers failing or being hacked create concerns about what could happen in a robotaxi.
- Privacy. The vehicles use cameras inside and out, and some people are concerned about being recorded and tracked through systems.
Nate Trela covers trending news in Colorado and Utah for the USA TODAY Network, with an emphasis on consumer finance, legal issues and state laws.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan.
Related: How to cash in on an e-bike rebate as Colorado program returns
