However, the road tests don’t necessarily indicate that commercial services are being imminently planned in these locations. So citizens of San Diego and Las Vegas — and the eight other locations — may spot a Waymo touring their cities this year, but they won't be able to hop in for a ride anytime soon.

Waymo is eyeing Las Vegas as one such testing bed. The city is, as Rose puts it, "interesting," which sounds quite a lot like a nice way to say "a huge damn mess." The Verge points out Vegas' chaotic strip,

Alphabet-owned Waymo plans to test its autonomous taxis in cities including Las Vegas and San Diego this year.

A more favorable federal regulatory and legislative environment may help propel the growth of driverless ride-hailing vehicles in the United States.

After testing the Waymo Driver in multiple cities, the company says the tech is adapting successfully to new environments, leading to the expansion.