Residents in Southern California’s South Bay are about to get another transportation option as Waymo expands its driverless ride-hailing service into Torrance and nearby coastal communities.
The expansion will extend the company’s Los Angeles coverage through Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach, reaching farther south than its previous service area. For residents who regularly travel between coastal neighborhoods, shopping areas and local destinations, the change could make autonomous rides more accessible.
The move is part of a larger expansion announced in late October 2026. Waymo plans to add nearly 250 square miles of service coverage across five U.S. markets over the course of a week, signaling that the company is continuing to grow beyond its original operating areas.
The company has not disclosed exactly how many additional square miles will be added in Los Angeles.
Torrance joins Waymo’s growing Los Angeles network
Waymo’s updated service map shows the expansion reaching Torrance through Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach. The additional coverage brings the driverless service farther into the South Bay, an area where residents travel for work, shopping, dining and other everyday activities.
Until now, the company’s Los Angeles service area has covered communities stretching from Santa Monica to Echo Park and south to Inglewood.
The new territory gives Waymo a larger footprint in the region, although the precise boundaries matter. Not every neighborhood or address in a city included on a service map is necessarily eligible for pickup or drop-off.
Residents interested in taking a ride can check the latest coverage map or enter their location in the Waymo app to see whether service is available.
The company has not announced a separate timetable for every neighborhood included in the expansion, so riders should check the app for current availability rather than assume all locations will become accessible at once.
What driverless rides could mean for local residents
Waymo’s expansion could offer another choice for people who want to travel without driving themselves. Potential uses include short trips around town, visits to restaurants, shopping outings and connections to other transportation options.
For people who do not want to park in busy areas or prefer not to drive at certain times, a driverless ride may be an appealing alternative.
However, the practical benefits will depend on where vehicles can travel, how quickly riders can get a pickup and how fares compare with other ride-hailing services. The company has not provided a specific breakdown of pricing or expected wait times for the newly added South Bay territory.
Airport travel also remains an important limitation for Los Angeles riders. Waymo’s published Los Angeles service information has stated that rides to and from Los Angeles International Airport are not available. Travelers should verify the latest service details before relying on a driverless vehicle for an airport trip.
How Waymo became a major player in driverless transportation
Waymo’s history began in 2009 as Google’s Self-Driving Car Project, when engineers started testing autonomous vehicles on public roads.
In 2016, Alphabet, Google’s parent company, established Waymo as an independent self-driving technology business.
The company launched its commercial ride-hailing service, Waymo One, in the Phoenix area in 2018. Early operations used a small fleet of vehicles, and the service gradually expanded toward fully driverless rides for members of the public.
Los Angeles became another major market as the company increased its presence in California. Waymo began offering rides to people on its waitlist in March 2024 before opening the service to all Los Angeles riders in November 2024.
Subsequent expansions added more neighborhoods, including areas around Inglewood and other parts of the city.
The latest South Bay move is another step in that progression, bringing autonomous ride-hailing into additional communities rather than limiting it to the company’s earlier operating zones.
Five markets are receiving new coverage
The South Bay expansion is only one part of Waymo’s latest rollout. The company announced plans to extend coverage in five markets across the country.
The changes include:
- Los Angeles: Extending south along the coast into Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Torrance.
- Nashville: Expanding farther south, including access toward the zoo.
- Orlando: Nearly doubling coverage on the eastern side and improving access in downtown areas.
- San Diego: Extending north toward La Jolla, including additional communities along the way.
- San Francisco Bay Area: Expanding farther into the South Bay, including a new connection to Berryessa BART station in San Jose.
Together, the changes will add nearly 250 square miles of territory over the announced rollout period.
The broader expansion illustrates how Waymo is working to connect more neighborhoods and destinations within existing markets while also growing its national presence.
Safety and public trust remain important questions
As driverless vehicles become more common, their expansion continues to bring questions about safety, reliability and how autonomous systems interact with everyday traffic.
These vehicles use a combination of sensors, cameras and onboard computing systems to interpret their surroundings and navigate roads. They are designed to identify other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and road features while making driving decisions without a human behind the wheel.
Even with these systems, autonomous vehicles must operate in complicated environments that include construction zones, emergency vehicles, unpredictable pedestrian movements and changing road conditions.
Public acceptance will depend not only on the technology itself but also on how reliably these vehicles operate in real-world situations and how companies respond when problems occur.
For communities in the South Bay, the expansion means driverless vehicles could become a more familiar part of local streets. It also means residents will have more opportunities to experience the technology firsthand.
How to check whether your neighborhood is covered
People in Torrance, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach can consult Waymo’s current Los Angeles service map or check their pickup location in the company’s app.
Coverage boundaries can change as new areas are introduced, and availability at a particular address may differ from the broader citywide coverage shown on a map.
The company has not released a specific Los Angeles coverage total for this latest expansion, nor has it provided a separate figure for the South Bay.
For now, the main development is clear: Waymo is pushing its driverless ride-hailing network farther down the Southern California coast, giving more residents the opportunity to use autonomous transportation as the service continues to grow.
