Self-driving taxis have arrived in Denver

In today’s edition of “robots are taking over the world,” self-driving taxis are now a thing in Denver…

Waymo is launching its robotaxis in Denver this week, the autonomous vehicle company announced Tuesday (Sept. 2).

Roughly a dozen Jaguar I-PACE SUVs and Zeekr RTs have already debuted as the first of Waymo’s Denver fleet.

For now, human drivers will sit behind the wheel as the company plans to gradually phase in fully autonomous rides after testing Denver’s unique driving environment.

The rollout starts in an “exploratory phase” focused on mapping streets and engaging with local officials before rides will be offered to the public, so don’t expect to end up as a passenger in a Waymo until next year.

Denver joins San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Atlanta and Austin as Waymo markets. The company also announced expansions in Seattle, Dallas, Miami and Washington, D.C., in recent months.