Waymo Expands Into Torrance After Quietly Testing On City Streets

TORRANCE, CA — Waymo is bringing its driverless taxis to Torrance, but the company's vehicles have already been navigating local streets with human drivers behind the wheel, city officials confirmed Thursday.

The expansion, announced Tuesday by Waymo, extends the company's autonomous ride-hailing service south along the Los Angeles coastline into the South Bay, giving Torrance residents a new transportation option.

But the company's arrival has been in the works for some time. Torrance Communications Manager Corbin Carson told Patch that Waymo had been testing vehicles locally to familiarize its technology with the city's roads and traffic conditions.

"In preparation for its arrival, Waymo has been testing vehicles locally with trained drivers behind the wheel to familiarize its technology with Torrance roadways, traffic patterns, and neighborhoods," Carson said.

The city did not say when testing began, how many vehicles were involved or which neighborhoods were included.

Mayor Discusses Expansion With Waymo

Carson also confirmed that Torrance Mayor Sharon Kalani recently spoke with Waymo's Government Affairs team about the technology and what residents could expect. Waymo separately told Patch that city officials were notified before the company publicly announced its expansion.

The service operates much like Uber or Lyft, except that Waymo's fully electric vehicles transport paying passengers without a human driver. Torrance is among the communities included in a broader expansion adding nearly 250 square miles to Waymo's service territory across five U.S. markets: Los Angeles, Nashville, Orlando, San Diego and the San Francisco Bay Area.

The company said the additional coverage would be introduced over approximately one week, although it did not specify how much of the new territory falls within Torrance. Residents can check whether their pickup and destination addresses are covered through the Waymo app.

Emergency Response And Road Safety

The arrival of driverless vehicles also presents practical questions for police officers and firefighters who may encounter them during traffic stops, collisions or other emergencies. Waymo told Patch it has worked with first responders across Greater Los Angeles since 2022, training more than 6,500 personnel, including members of the Los Angeles Police Department, other local police agencies and regional fire departments.

The company said it has trained more than 40,000 first responders worldwide, with additional specialized sessions planned across Greater Los Angeles through 2027. It also provides emergency response guides and law enforcement protocols explaining how personnel can interact with its vehicles.

However, neither Waymo nor Torrance officials confirmed whether the city's police officers or firefighters have received Waymo-specific training. Asked directly about local preparations, Waymo said it had no additional information to share, while the city referred questions about training back to the company.

Waymo said its operations are regulated at the state level by the California Department of Motor Vehicles and the California Public Utilities Commission, although it continues to coordinate with municipal officials and emergency responders.

For Torrance, officials say the immediate priority is keeping residents informed as autonomous vehicles become increasingly common on Southern California roads.

"As autonomous vehicles become more common throughout Southern California, the City wants residents to be aware of their presence and will continue to stay informed about developments affecting our community, particularly roadway safety," Carson said.