Waymo's driverless taxis can now pick up and drop off riders in La Jolla. The company announced Tuesday, Oct. 27, that autonomous ride-hailing is available at UC San Diego, the University Town Center (UTC) shopping area and the VA Medical Center for the first time.

The expansion is part of a broader push. Waymo said in a company blog post that it is adding nearly 250 square miles of territory across Los Angeles, Nashville, Orlando, San Diego and the San Francisco Bay Area over the coming week.

La Jolla's addition nearly doubles the footprint of Waymo's San Diego service, as first reported by Axios, according to Hoodline. The service area now also includes University City, Clairemont and Mission Bay, joining neighborhoods already covered: Ocean Beach, Sunset Cliffs, Hillcrest, North Park, Balboa Park, South Park, Little Italy, downtown and the Gaslamp District, according to FOX 5 San Diego.

Waymo launched in San Diego on Sept. 1 with a limited zone and required an early sign-up code. The company opened rides to all users earlier in October, according to FOX 5 San Diego. Reaching La Jolla less than two months after launch marks a rapid expansion, Electrek reported.

The robotaxis still have limits.

Waymo vehicles drive on local streets but not highways, and the service does not yet include trips to San Diego International Airport, according to Hoodline. The outlet reported that Waymo had previously said highway driving and airport service would come "in the coming months."

The expansion arrives amid a push for more local oversight. The San Diego City Council voted unanimously in September to request state authority over when and how robotaxis are deployed in the city, according to Hoodline. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), not individual cities, currently governs robotaxi expansion, the Los Angeles Times reported.

"We can't have vehicles that are posing hazards on our streets," San Diego City Councilmember Marni Von Wilpert told the Los Angeles Times in an Oct. 5 article. "We didn't even know when the robotaxis were coming."

Waymo has pointed to its safety record as it pushes into new neighborhoods. Company data released in September covering 270 million autonomous miles showed the Waymo Driver was involved in 95% fewer serious-injury-or-worse crashes compared with human drivers, according to Waymo's safety blog. The same data showed 93% fewer injury-causing crashes involving pedestrians and 86% fewer involving cyclists.

Hoodline reported that residents had spotted driverless Waymo vehicles testing in Mission Valley and Clairemont before the formal announcement. Riders can check whether their address falls inside the new zone through the Waymo app or the company's updated service-area maps.

Waymo now operates in 15 U.S. metros and logs more than 500,000 paid rides per week, according to Electrek.