- Updated: February 2, 2026
- 2 min read
Waymo Secures $16 Billion Funding to Expand Robotaxi Fleet to London and Tokyo
Waymo Secures $16 Billion Funding to Expand Robotaxi Fleet to London and Tokyo
Alphabet’s autonomous‑vehicle arm Waymo has closed a massive $16 billion Series C funding round, lifting its valuation to an estimated $126 billion. The new capital will accelerate Waymo’s push beyond the United States, targeting key international markets such as London and Tokyo with its robotaxi service.
Funding round highlights
- Lead investors: Dragoneer Investment Group, DST Global, and Sequoia Capital.
- Existing backers including CapitalG, Andreessen Horowitz, and others also participated.
- The round brings Waymo’s post‑money valuation to $126 billion, underscoring investor confidence in autonomous‑driving technology.
Strategic international expansion
With the fresh funds, Waymo plans to replicate its successful U.S. robotaxi model in major global cities. London and Tokyo have been identified as the first targets, where the company will work with local regulators to launch pilot fleets and eventually full‑scale services.
These markets were chosen for their dense urban environments, strong demand for on‑demand mobility, and supportive policy frameworks for autonomous vehicles.
Safety and regulatory context
Waymo continues to address safety concerns following recent investigations into its autonomous‑driving system. The company says the new funding will also support enhanced safety testing, data analytics, and compliance initiatives to meet the stringent standards of each new market.
What this means for the autonomous‑vehicle industry
The size of the round signals a broader industry belief that robotaxis are nearing commercial viability at scale. Competitors are likely to accelerate their own deployment plans, while cities worldwide may fast‑track regulatory frameworks to attract such high‑tech mobility solutions.
Read the full story
For a detailed breakdown of the funding round and Waymo’s expansion strategy, see the original TechCrunch article.
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Meta description suggestion: Waymo raises $16 billion, valued at $126 billion, to expand its robotaxi fleet to London and Tokyo. Learn about investors, valuation, and global autonomous‑vehicle ambitions.
Andrii Bidochko
CTO UBOS
Andrii Bidochko is an AI entrepreneur and researcher focused on AI agents, reinforcement learning, and autonomous systems. He writes about the technologies shaping the future of machine intelligence, from frontier models and agent architectures to real-world AI applications.