Waymo self-driving, ride-hail cars laying groundwork in Minneapolis
Waymo car is seen in Austin, United States on October 20, 2025. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) (Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Waymo, the self-driving, ride-hail vehicle company, is starting to lay its groundwork in Minneapolis, with hopes to operate autonomous vehicles in the future.
Waymo robotaxis coming to Minneapolis
What we know:
The vehicles will start appearing on roads in Minneapolis on Thursday as they test vehicles in Minnesota, including the Jaguar I-PACE and Zeekr RT vehicles.
The company says to prepare for winter weather in Minnesota, it has tested in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, upstate New York and California's Sierra Nevada.
What we don't know:
However, Waymo won't be operating for consumers yet, and it's unclear when this could happen.
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What they're saying:
The Republican and Democrat co-chairs of the Minnesota House of Transportation and Finance Policy Committee have expressed their support for Waymo in the state.
In a statement, Rep. Erin Koegel, a Democrat who is the co-chair of the Minnesota House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee, said: "We are committed to ensuring autonomous deployment like Waymo’s is done responsibly, leveraging this innovation to improve connectivity, reduce congestion, and secure Minnesota’s place as a national leader in the future of mobility. The integration of safe, modern technology is key to a more efficient, environmentally sustainable, and equitable transportation future for our communities, and this deployment in Minneapolis is a great step forward."
Republican Rep. Jon Koznick, who also co-chairs the Minnesota House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee, released a statement in support of Waymo, saying: "Minnesota has a reputation built on world-class healthcare and a robust technology sector, and the arrival of Waymo in Minneapolis is an exciting step forward. We support proven, safe, and reliable options to our transit network that directly supports our goals of modernizing our infrastructure, while creating a cleaner, more efficient transportation system."
Dig deeper:
Waymo has been operating in the United States for years. It's currently serving cities that include San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Austin. It's also looking to expand to New Orleans, Tampa and London, among other cities.