Bloomberg Talks Waymo Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana Talks Global Expansion
Feb 11, 2026
Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO of Waymo and leader of its commercial expansion, fundraising and safety strategy. She talks about Waymo's $16 billion raise and plans to scale to 20 cities. She discusses vehicle rollouts, regulatory hurdles in New York and London, international partnerships in Japan, and safety systems and simulations that guide deployments.
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Prioritize Execution And Cost Reduction
- Focus execution on scaling teams, lowering hardware costs, and proving unit economics while growing the fleet.
- Invest in a sustainable, electric vehicle mix and new vehicle introductions to support long-term operations.
Super Bowl Showed Real-World Adoption
- The Super Bowl weekend showed Waymo integrated into Bay Area life with rides from airports to Levi's Stadium and many first-time users.
- Tekedra says downloads and rider enthusiasm spiked as visitors tried Waymo after hearing local recommendations.
Regulation Determines Launch Speed
- A welcoming regulatory climate lets Waymo map and launch in months, while data on safety outcomes helps persuade policymakers.
- Mawakana emphasizes partnering with local organizations and first responders to grow trust and adoption.