Waymo opens Nashville robotaxi rides to teenagers

Waymo is allowing teenagers aged 13 to 17 to use its robotaxi service in Nashville as the Alphabet-owned company expands to a new group of riders.

Nashville is the second city to offer Waymo teen accounts, after Phoenix launched the program last year. A Waymo spokesperson told TechCrunch that the Nashville expansion will be the “first of many” teen launches in multiple markets in the coming months. The company said teen accounts will be offered where its operations are mature and local regulations allow.

Waymo launched its service across a 50-square-mile area of Nashville in April 2026. Earlier this month, its robotaxis also became available through the Lyft app. The company has opened services in a dozen cities, including Denver, Las Vegas, San Diego, and Tampa in the past month.

Teen accounts must be connected to a parent or guardian. Once activated, users can request rides anywhere in Waymo’s Nashville service area and bring up to three guests aged 13 to 17. Waymo did not share how those ages would be verified.

Paid robotaxi trips grew from 50,000 per week in May 2024 to more than half-a-million per week earlier this year, a tenfold increase. Waymo said its teen accounts are another way to expand ridership.