Where Driverless Cars Operate Today

Fully driverless robotaxis carrying paying passengers are available today in a handful of cities: in the United States, Waymo operates in the Phoenix metro area, San Francisco, and parts of Los Angeles; in China, services run in Wuhan, Beijing’s Yizhuang district, Shenzhen, Chongqing, and parts of Guangzhou; and Abu Dhabi offers limited geofenced rides on Yas and Saadiyat Islands. Availability varies by neighborhood and time of day, and several other cities host pilots or supervised (safety driver) operations.

What “driverless” means and why availability varies

“Driverless” in this context means no human safety driver is seated in the vehicle; some programs use remote oversight. City-by-city access reflects local regulations, safety records, and the maturity of each company’s technology. Coverage typically starts in defined zones and expands gradually as regulators and operators gain confidence.

United States

Active driverless robotaxi service (no safety driver, paid public rides)

The following list summarizes U.S. cities where members of the public can hail fully driverless rides, generally via an app, in defined service areas. Coverage and hours can differ by neighborhood.

• Phoenix metro, Arizona (Phoenix, Tempe, Chandler, Mesa, Scottsdale) — Waymo One offers 24/7 driverless service across a wide footprint, including Sky Harbor airport access via designated areas.
• San Francisco, California — Waymo One provides citywide driverless ride-hailing, operating day and night subject to standard road restrictions.
• Los Angeles, California — Waymo One runs paid driverless rides in select neighborhoods (e.g., Westside and adjacent areas), with coverage expanding incrementally.

Together, these markets represent the most mature driverless ride-hailing network in the U.S., though the exact geofence and pickup/drop-off rules can change with city approvals and ongoing safety reviews.

Pilots and limited access (employee/closed-group rides or early-stage public trials)

Several programs operate driverless vehicles on public roads but are limited to employees, invited riders, or narrowly defined routes and times.

• Las Vegas, Nevada — Zoox operates its purpose-built robotaxi without a driver on select public roads; rides have primarily been for employees and structured pilots.

These deployments are important milestones but are not yet broadly available to the general public like conventional ride-hailing.

Supervised service (safety driver present) or paused operations

The locations below feature on-road autonomous operations that currently require a human in the driver’s seat, or where driverless service has been suspended pending further review.

• Austin, Texas — Testing and limited service with safety drivers; no active public driverless rides as of late 2024.
• Dallas and Houston, Texas — Supervised testing resumed by some operators in 2024; no public driverless rides.
• Las Vegas, Nevada — Motional has operated with safety drivers; commercial driverless rides were not active as of late 2024.
• Multiple Bay Area and Peninsula cities (e.g., Mountain View, Palo Alto) — Ongoing testing, generally supervised; public driverless access remains limited compared with San Francisco proper.
• Cruise (multiple U.S. cities) — Company-wide driverless passenger service was suspended after an October 2023 incident; supervised testing restarted in select markets in 2024 but driverless rides for the public were not reinstated as of late 2024.

These markets illustrate how operator readiness and regulatory oversight shape the pace from testing to full public driverless service.

China

Active driverless robotaxi service (no safety driver, paid public rides)

China hosts the largest number of cities with geofenced driverless robotaxi service, typically accessed through local apps and operating in designated districts or time windows.

• Wuhan — Baidu’s Apollo Go runs extensive driverless service, with large zones and late-night/24-hour operation in some areas.
• Beijing (Yizhuang Economic-Technological Development Area) — Baidu and Pony.ai offer driverless, fare-collecting service on approved routes.
• Shenzhen — AutoX and Baidu operate driverless robotaxis in defined districts, available to the public via app sign-ups.
• Chongqing (Yongchuan) — Baidu provides driverless service on mapped corridors with commercial operations permitted.
• Guangzhou (notably Nansha District) — Pony.ai and WeRide have driverless permits and run limited commercial service within authorized zones.

City rules, operating hours, and pick-up restrictions differ by district; all remain tightly geofenced and expand as operators clear regulatory safety gates.

Pilots or supervised operations

Some major Chinese metros permit wide-scale robotaxi service with safety drivers or limited driverless testing that is not yet broadly commercial.

• Shanghai — Multiple operators (e.g., Baidu, Pony.ai) run extensive pilots; fully driverless service has been limited and tightly controlled.
• Other hubs (e.g., Suzhou, Hangzhou) — Active testing and mixed driver-in/out pilots depending on district approvals.

These programs often serve as stepping stones to wider driverless deployment once regulators approve fee-collecting rides without an onboard safety driver.

Middle East

Active driverless service in geofenced zones

The Gulf region has emphasized controlled, geo-fenced deployments that carry paying passengers in specific districts.

• Abu Dhabi (Yas Island and Saadiyat Island) — The TXAI service (Bayanat/WeRide) offers driverless robotaxis on preset routes and zones, typically during defined hours.

While smaller in scale than U.S. or Chinese networks, these services demonstrate consistent, public-facing driverless operations under clear constraints.

Planned or paused initiatives

Some announced projects have shifted timelines due to operator changes or regulatory reviews.

• Dubai — A planned rollout with Cruise was paused following the company’s 2023 suspension in the U.S.; the city remains committed to autonomous mobility but timelines have been adjusted.

These changes reflect how global programs can be affected by safety investigations and corporate restructuring.

How to confirm service in your city

Because coverage maps and hours can change, it’s best to check the operator’s app or website before planning a ride.

• Waymo One app (U.S.): Shows real-time coverage in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles and whether driverless rides are available to your account.
• Apollo Go (China): Displays eligible pickup zones and hours for Wuhan, Beijing (Yizhuang), Shenzhen, and other supported districts.
• Local mobility portals (Abu Dhabi’s TXAI): Provide current geofences, booking windows, and rider requirements.

Sign-up waitlists, staged rollouts, and rider eligibility checks are common, especially when service expands into new neighborhoods.

Key factors shaping where driverless cars operate

Expansions tend to follow a consistent pattern driven by safety, regulation, and demand.

• Regulatory approvals: State/city permits and national frameworks dictate whether rides can be driverless and fare-collecting.
• Operational safety record: Incident-free mileage and response to edge cases influence zone size and hours.
• Mapping and weather: High-definition maps and benign weather (e.g., Phoenix) accelerate early deployments.
• Business partnerships: Airport authorities, transit agencies, and city departments affect pickup rules and coverage.

As these factors align, operators typically widen geofences, extend hours, and add high-demand destinations like airports and event venues.

Bottom line

As of late 2024, the most reliable places to hail a fully driverless ride are the Phoenix metro, San Francisco, and parts of Los Angeles (Waymo); multiple Chinese cities including Wuhan, Beijing (Yizhuang), Shenzhen, Chongqing, and parts of Guangzhou (Baidu, Pony.ai, AutoX, WeRide); and geofenced zones in Abu Dhabi (TXAI). Other cities host employee-only or supervised pilots that may transition to public driverless service over time.

Summary

Driverless cars are operating today for the public in select U.S., Chinese, and Middle Eastern cities, with the broadest access in Phoenix, San Francisco, and expanding parts of Los Angeles, and the widest overall footprint in China across several major metros. Services remain geofenced and dynamic, so checking the operator’s app for the latest coverage and hours is essential.

How many states have driverless cars?

Twenty-nine states—Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington and …

What is the biggest problem with self-driving cars?

The biggest problem with self-driving cars is ensuring their safety in complex, unpredictable real-world conditions and validating their performance for widespread deployment. This includes overcoming challenges with “edge cases” or rare, unusual situations, accurately detecting obstacles, understanding human-like driving instincts, and programming ethical decision-making for unavoidable accidents. 
Specific Challenges

• Handling real-world complexity and edge cases: Self-driving cars struggle with unexpected situations that are easy for humans to navigate, like a paper bag in the road or a crash scene. 
• Sensors and algorithms: Relying on sensors and software means there’s a risk of malfunctions or poor recognition of obstacles, especially in harsh weather conditions like heavy rain or snow. 
• Validation of performance: It’s difficult to prove that a self-driving system is safe enough for public use, requiring robust methods to evaluate performance beyond what’s possible with simulations alone. 
• Ethical dilemmas and human instincts: Programming a car to make split-second “moral” decisions in an unavoidable accident (like the “runaway trolley problem”) is a major hurdle. 
• Infrastructure and connectivity: Self-driving cars require significant infrastructure upgrades, such as clear lane markings and data storage, and rely on consistent vehicle-to-vehicle (V2X) communication. 
• Cybersecurity: Shared networks required for autonomous vehicles could be vulnerable to hacking, with potentially severe consequences. 
• Public perception and trust: Building consumer confidence that self-driving cars are genuinely safer than human-driven alternatives is a significant obstacle to adoption. 

Are there any 100% self-driving cars?

There are also some companies that operate autonomous tractor-trailers, but given safety concerns and the nascence of the technology, those vehicles are operating on limited routes along public highways and roads. No manufacturer has made a fully automated personal vehicle.

Which country has driverless cars?

China’s rise in autonomous vehicles has significant implications for the global auto and tech industries. First, it challenges the dominance of traditional car-making nations such as Germany, Japan and the US, who now find themselves competing against Chinese companies not just on price, but on innovation.