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After a 2-month pause for updates, Waymos gradually return to Phoenix freeways

A squat, compact van with an array of autonomous vehicle censors drives down a city street.
Waymo
/
Handout
Waymo’s Ojai autonomous vehicle rolled out to customers in 2026 and is assembled in the company’s Mesa facility.

Waymo says it’s gradually adding back freeway routes in Phoenix, with more cities to follow.

In May, the company said it was pausing its freeway operations to update software and improve performance around construction and flood zones.

Waymo first suspended service in Atlanta after an unoccupied robotaxi stopped in flood water earlier that month.

Waymos began using Valley freeways in November 2025.

One of the key questions surrounding the autonomous vehicles is: are they safe? And perhaps more specifically, are they safer than human drivers? Waymo has put out data that suggests they are.

“Waymo’s mission is to be the world’s most trusted driver, and the data shows we are making roads safer in the cities we serve. We are welcoming riders on freeways again after implementing software updates to improve our performance around highway construction zones. We remain focused on operating responsibly to build a driver that communities trust and want on our roads," a spokesperson said in statement.

More Arizona Transportation News

KJZZ senior field correspondent Kathy Ritchie has 20 years of experience reporting and writing stories for national and local media outlets — nearly a decade of it has been spent in public media.
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