---
title: "Detroit, Mich., sees Waymo begin driverless testing"
url: https://www.heredetroitmi.com/2026/10/08/detroit-waymo-begins-fully-driverless-testing/
date: 2026-10-08T05:12:54-04:00
modified: 2026-10-08T05:12:54-04:00
author: "Melody Magana"
categories: ["Business"]
site: "HERE Detroit"
attribution: "HERE Detroit"
---

# Detroit, Mich., sees Waymo begin driverless testing

*Source: [HERE Detroit](https://www.heredetroitmi.com/2026/10/08/detroit-waymo-begins-fully-driverless-testing/) — October 8, 2026 by Melody Magana*

DETROIT, Mich. — Waymo began fully autonomous testing in Detroit, Mich., on Tuesday, Oct. 6, sending its robotaxis onto city streets with no human specialist behind the wheel as the company moves toward eventual public service.

For now, rides are open only to Waymo employees while the company sets up what it calls a safety framework for operating in the city. It plans to open the service to the public once the technology is validated, and it will publish a map of its service area before rides open to the public through its phone app. A company spokesperson, Chris Bonelli, said there is still no timeline for public deployment in Detroit.

The cars are driving downtown and in surrounding neighborhoods including Corktown, Midtown, Hamtramck and Indian Village, and the company said it intends to expand gradually across the wider metro area. The step follows months of mapping and testing with drivers on board; Waymo vehicles have been a fixture on area roads since last November.

The fleet includes Zeekr Ojai electric vans along with white Jaguar models. The Ojai carries the sixth-generation Waymo Driver system, which the company uses to operate in wintry conditions. Detroit is among the first northern cities where Waymo is exploring service as it pushes into states with variable climates.

Waymo’s deployment is regulated by the state of Michigan. The city’s Office of Mobility Innovation said it has met regularly with the company and worked to make sure city agencies, including the Detroit Police Department and Detroit Fire Department, are prepared to support a safe rollout.