The company also announced a partnership with Hyundai in October to integrate the automaker's Ioniq 5 SUV into Waymo's fleet of vehicles. The companies said they will begin testing the Waymo Ioniq 5s by late 2025.

Waymo is already conducting testing and validation drives in Detroit, Buffalo, New York, and at a test track in Columbus, Ohio, with its Jaguar I-Pace and newer Geely Zeekr vehicles to understand how these systems will perform in different types of traffic and weather.

Given its progress and increasing presence on U.S. streets, Waymo received plenty of social media and publicity in 2024, stirring delight and controversy.