Waymo launches pothole data-sharing program in Austin, partnering with Waze for test markets
Robotaxi company Waymo says it wants to help the city of Austin tackle potholes, and it will do so by sharing data with transportation officials.
Waymo announced in a blog earlier this month that it would partner with Waze, a navigation company that was acquired by Google in 2013, for the pilot program. Waymo said it would share data gathered by its robotaxis' systems with city and state transportation departments through the free-to-use Waze for Cities platform, along with information about potholes shared by drivers.
The idea, Waymo said, would be to give officials "an additional view of surface street and highway conditions that enables them to more efficiently and effectively fill potholes". The company also said Waze users will be able to see the data in cities where Waymo operates, and users will be able to verify potholes identified by Waymo to increase the data's accuracy.
"Waymo is already making roads safer where we operate. We want to build on the safety benefits of our service by partnering with organizations and city officials to help improve the infrastructure we all depend on," said Arielle Fleisher, Policy Development and Research Manager at Waymo. "Waymo's mission is to be the world's most trusted driver; we're also committed to becoming a trusted partner to the cities we serve."
Austin is just one of five cities where this pilot program will launch. The program will also activate in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Atlanta. Waymo said it plans to expand the partnership to more cities.
Waymo notes that potholes can significantly damage cars and contribute to crashes. The company said that cities rely largely on citizen reports to non-emergency 311 lines and manual inspections. However, Waymo's blog post claimed it provides an "incomplete picture" of road conditions that make maintenance difficult. The company said it intends to fill reporting gaps and formed the pilot program based on feedback gathered from city officials over the course of recent years.
Does Waymo operate in the Dallas area?
Yes, Waymo officially launched in North Texas in February of 2026 alongside Houston and San Antonio. The autonomous taxis now operate across 10 metro areas in the United States. However, the Dallas-Fort Worth metro is not included in the pothole data pilot program. It's also not clear when the North Texas area could be included should the program expand.
Co-CEO of Waymo, Tekedra Mawakana, said in February the company is on track to serve over one million rides per week by the end of the year.
"Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando are critical to our plans, as we lay groundwork for service in 20+ cities. Each community has its own unique charm and transportation needs, and we're eager to provide a safe, reliable, and magical way for locals and visitors to travel," Mawakana said in a news release at the time.
Waymo's launch in Dallas was welcomed by Mayor Eric Johnson, who said the city remains "one of America's most innovative and dynamic cities."
How has Waymo's launch been received?
The robotaxis have received mixed reactions from many neighbors across North Texas. Those reflections came after several incidents with Waymo service across the country sparked questions about how the cars respond to unpredictable situations. As an example, video taken in Austin showed a Waymo stop near train tracks as a train approached. The company said the vehicle performed a controlled stop more than 2.5 meters before the tracks after the crossing lights activated. The company said it recognized the concern and temporarily restricted travel through similar crossings while it reviewed the incident and refined its system.
Another video from Austin showed one of the robotaxis blocking first responders during a deadly shooting. Waymo said the car was trying to make a U-turn to clear the way, and a nearby police officer helped.
Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Robert Luckritz said first responders were at the scene in under a minute and didn't belive the Waymo impacted patient outcomes.
"I will say that we're already in touch with Waymo and the autonomous vehicles to give them our concerns and work with them in order to try and address this moving forward," he said at the time.
"That's great if, in fact, that was the case and they were very lucky, but what's going to happen next time?" Witherite Law Group Managing Attorney John Nohinek said.
Nohinek has been tracking autonomous vehicle cases, and shared particular concern about a case in Atlanta.
"The Waymo had a passenger, drove past emergency vehicles and into an active crime scene," he said. "They have failed to stop and pass school buses. Failure to yield the right of way both to vehicles, and pedestrians, more importantly, it's very concerning."
What are safety officials saying?
Top Waymo executives, along with leaders from electric auto maker Tesla, defended the safety of their vehicles before a U.S. Senate committee in February, insisting that autonomous driving systems were safer than human drivers despite the incidents. A month prior, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced an investigation into Waymo robotaxis passing and failing to yield to school buses in Austin.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who chairs the Senate committee Waymo appeared before, told CBS News that the series of incidents was "obviously unacceptable". Earlier in January, a Waymo in Santa Monica, California hit a child near her elementary school. The child suffered minor injuries.