Waymo launches driverless ride-share service in Nashville
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Nashville’s first driverless ride‑share vehicles began operating April 7, featuring an empty driver’s seat and a self‑steering wheel.
The service, operated by Waymo, is now available citywide.
“Today’s an important day because it’s the first time people in Nashville and the general public can take a Waymo,” Waymo spokesperson Mark Lewis told The Tennessean.
Riders won’t find a driver’s seat to claim up front. The vehicle will detect unauthorized seating and trigger a call from a Waymo representative to correct it. Dashboard and rear‑seat screens display digital renderings of nearby pedestrians and vehicles — even those outside the rider’s direct line of sight.
A subsidiary of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, Waymo will deploy “a couple dozen” autonomous vehicles throughout a 60-square-mile service area in Nashville on Tuesday, Lewis said.
While Lewis declined to specify how many autonomous vehicles will be operating in Music City, he said the company is planning to expand its Nashville footprint.
“As we gain more experience here and we have more vehicles, we’ll be able to serve more of the territory, and we definitely intend to keep on expanding,” Lewis said.
How to order a Nashville Waymo driverless ride
Currently, Waymo is selecting riders from the waitlist in its mobile app. The price is slightly higher than Uber or Lyft, company officials said.
To join the waitlist, “you just download the mobile app, and it will add you to our waitlist, which is already tens of thousands strong," Lewis said, adding "that will allow you to test the magic of Waymo yourself."
In late April, ride-share giant Lyft will manage the Waymo fleet in Nashville.
“Later in the year, the Lyft app will also serve rides, but it’s in addition to the Waymo app,” Lewis said. “So, when that happens, if you definitely want a Waymo to be matched with a Waymo, just order through the Waymo app.
“But if you’re indifferent and you’re looking for a ride, we’re part of the options of the Lyft family.”
How do Waymo autonomous vehicles work?
A Waymo vehicle, known as a Jaguar I-Pace, is equipped with six radars for speed and distance accuracy, five lidars for three-dimensional vision, four audio sensors to look out for sirens, and 29 cameras for two-dimensional vision.
The autonomous vehicle has “29 eyes instead of just two,” Lewis said.
For the last six months, Waymo has been training on Nashville’s streets to learn traffic patterns and awkward intersections, Lewis said.
Waymo said its technology is safer than human drivers. According to Waymo, its self-driving cars have been involved in 13 times fewer crashes with serious injuries, 13 times fewer pedestrian injuries, and six times fewer crashes resulting in airbag deployment.
But safety concerns persist, including a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration preliminary investigation into Waymo robotaxis after one of the autonomous vehicles reportedly failed to stop for a parked Atlanta school bus.
Waymo launches driverless ride-share service in Nashville
Nashville Tennessean
Updated April 7, 2026, 10:43 a.m. CT
Nashville’s first driverless ride‑share vehicles began operating April 7, featuring an empty driver’s seat and a self‑steering wheel.
The service, operated by Waymo, is now available citywide.
“Today’s an important day because it’s the first time people in Nashville and the general public can take a Waymo,” Waymo spokesperson Mark Lewis told The Tennessean.
Riders won’t find a driver’s seat to claim up front. The vehicle will detect unauthorized seating and trigger a call from a Waymo representative to correct it. Dashboard and rear‑seat screens display digital renderings of nearby pedestrians and vehicles — even those outside the rider’s direct line of sight.
A subsidiary of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, Waymo will deploy “a couple dozen” autonomous vehicles throughout a 60-square-mile service area in Nashville Tuesday, Lewis said.
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While Lewis declined to specify how many autonomous vehicles will be operating in Music City, he said the company is planning to expand its Nashville footprint.
“As we gain more experience here and we have more vehicles, we’ll be able to serve more of the territory and we definitely intend to keep on expanding,” Lewis said.
How to order a Nashville Waymo driverless ride
Currently, Waymo is selecting riders who have joined the waitlist on the company’s mobile app. The price is slightly more expensive than the cost of Uber or Lyft, company officials said.
To join the waitlist “you just download the mobile app and it will add you to our waitlist, which is already tens of thousands strong," Lewis said, adding "that will allow you to test the magic of Waymo yourself."
In late April, ride-share giant Lyft will manage the Waymo fleet in Nashville.
“Later in the year, the Lyft app will also serve rides, but it’s in addition to the Waymo app,” Lewis said. “So, when that happens, if you definitely want a Waymo, to be matched with a Waymo, just order through the Waymo app.
“But if you’re indifferent and you’re looking for a ride, we’re part of the options of the Lyft family.”
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How do Waymo autonomous vehicles work?
A Waymo vehicle, known as a Jaguar I-pace, is equipped with six radars for speed and distance accuracy, five lidars for three-dimensional vision, four audio sensors to look out for sirens and 29 cameras for two-dimensional vision.
The autonomous vehicle has “29 eyes instead of just two,” Lewis said.
For the last six months, Waymo has been training on Nashville’s streets to learn traffic patterns and awkward intersections, Lewis said.
Waymo said its technology is safer than human drivers. According to Waymo, its self-driving cars have been involved in 13 times fewer crashes with serious injuries, 13 times fewer pedestrian injuries, and six times fewer crashes resulting in airbag deployment.
But safety concerns persist, including a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration preliminary investigation into Waymo robotaxis after one of the autonomous vehicles reportedly failed to stop for a parked Atlanta school bus.
What cities have Waymo driverless cars?
Nashville marks the company’s 11th city across the U.S., according to Waymo. Waymo also operates in these cities:
Atlanta
Austin
Dallas
Houston
Los Angeles
Miami
Nashville
Orlando
Phoenix
San Antonio
San Francisco Bay Area
Waymo plans to expand to these cities:
Baltimore
Boston
Charlotte
Chicago
Denver
Detroit
Las Vegas
London
Minneapolis
New Orleans
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Sacramento
San Diego
Seattle
St. Louis
Tampa
Tokyo
Washington, D.C.
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