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Waymo Rolls Out Driverless Rides On The Highway
Image courtesy of Waymo // Illustration by Kate Walker
Waymo announced that it’s rolling out its driverless fleet onto select US highways, making it the first company in America to do so.
Why It Rolls: The robotaxi race is upon us… and Waymo is officially leading the pack. Freeways have long been the white whale of the industry due to safety concerns and high speeds, so getting the greenlight to operate without safety drivers represents a major leap forward for the technology. It also puts robotaxis fully in competition with traditional rideshare services and taxis.
Behind The Rides: Ready to sit in the back seat at 70 mph with no one behind the wheel?
The freeway routes will launch in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, and will be available 24/7.
They’ll be offered like any standard ride in the Waymo app, “meaning typical trips can now include freeway legs whenever it’s the fastest route.”
First access will go to riders who previously opted in to Waymo’s new services and features in the app.
The cars are programmed to keep up with traffic up to the posted speed limit, and if they need to stop, they’ll exit the freeway rather than pull over on the shoulder.
Last Exit: The question on everybody’s mind is: “Is this safe?” Waymo says it’s been testing the feature for over a year using its current tech stack and sensors, closed-course driving, simulation testing, and the good ol’ practice of putting its employees in the back seat during live runs. According to the company, the vehicles have been put through “rare” and “inevitable” driving conditions, including hydroplaning, flooding, and even a deer jumping out in front of them.
Whether you trust robotaxis may ultimately come down to how Waymo handles one of those real-life curveballs when you’re the passenger.
Next Drive: The new cultural divide could be whether you opt for a Waymo or an Uber on your night out on the town.
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Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited by Nick Comney. Polled and Copy-edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.