Business

Waymo Valued at $126 As Robotaxis Gain Traction
By Reuters | 03 Feb, 2026

The Alphabet unit's valuation trebled in less than two years as its AI-powered autonomous driving system set the pace for a fast-emerging industry around the world.

Alphabet unit Waymo said it had raised $16 billion in its latest fundraising round that valued the self-driving car startup at $126 billion, nearly tripling its valuation in less than two years.

As one of the most sought-after applications of artificial intelligence, leading autonomous vehicle companies are investing heavily in commercializing their technology, with a focus on safety and regulatory collaboration to gain market share.

The round was led by Dragoneer Investment Group, DST Global, and Sequoia Capital, with additional investments from Mubadala Capital, Andreessen Horowitz and T. Rowe Price.

As of the last external financing in 2024, Waymo was valued at $45 billion, based on data from Tracxn.

The company said it tripled its volume to 15 million rides in 2025, providing 400,000 rides weekly across six major U.S. metropolitan areas. 

While Waymo remains the leader in the U.S. market, competition is brewing, with Elon Musk's Tesla making robotaxis a core priority for the company, pivoting away from electric vehicles. 

Amazon's self-driving unit Zoox has also offered free robotaxi rides to the public on and around the Las Vegas Strip and in parts of San Francisco.

However, safety concerns linger as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last week said it is opening an investigation after a Waymo self-driving vehicle struck a child near an elementary school in California.

(Reporting by Ateev Bhandari in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore)