Waymo's Self-Driving Cars to Hit Highways in US Cities
Alphabet's autonomous vehicle arm Waymo is set to expand its self-driving taxi service onto highways in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco, marking a significant milestone for the company. The move aims to boost the adoption of driverless vehicles, a goal that raises questions about safety concerns.
The high-speed routes will be available to users who have opted-in to early access features, before being rolled out more widely. Waymo's self-driving taxis will ferry passengers to and from San Jose International Airport in the San Francisco Bay Area, joining existing routes in Los Angeles airport service.
However, adding highways presents a unique challenge for Waymo. The company's vehicles will reach speeds of up to 65 miles per hour, increasing the risk of collisions. Dmitri Dolgov, co-CEO at Waymo, says achieving fully autonomous freeway operations is an engineering feat that requires considerable expertise.
Waymo has reported over 1,250 collisions involving its vehicles since 2021, including accidents with passenger cars and other objects. While Tekedra Mawakana, the company's other co-CEO, believes society will accept fatal incidents, it remains to be seen how passengers will react.
This expansion marks a significant step for Waymo as it pushes towards encouraging mass adoption of driverless vehicles. The move follows rivals such as Tesla and Zoox expanding their own self-driving services in select cities across the US.
Alphabet's autonomous vehicle arm Waymo is set to expand its self-driving taxi service onto highways in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco, marking a significant milestone for the company. The move aims to boost the adoption of driverless vehicles, a goal that raises questions about safety concerns.
The high-speed routes will be available to users who have opted-in to early access features, before being rolled out more widely. Waymo's self-driving taxis will ferry passengers to and from San Jose International Airport in the San Francisco Bay Area, joining existing routes in Los Angeles airport service.
However, adding highways presents a unique challenge for Waymo. The company's vehicles will reach speeds of up to 65 miles per hour, increasing the risk of collisions. Dmitri Dolgov, co-CEO at Waymo, says achieving fully autonomous freeway operations is an engineering feat that requires considerable expertise.
Waymo has reported over 1,250 collisions involving its vehicles since 2021, including accidents with passenger cars and other objects. While Tekedra Mawakana, the company's other co-CEO, believes society will accept fatal incidents, it remains to be seen how passengers will react.
This expansion marks a significant step for Waymo as it pushes towards encouraging mass adoption of driverless vehicles. The move follows rivals such as Tesla and Zoox expanding their own self-driving services in select cities across the US.