Waymo driverless vehicles are expanding. (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo To Match Special Report TESLA-FSD/SAFETY) (REUTERS)
The company says the public rollout will happen after the employee testing. In Denver, Waymo spokesperson Sandy Karp said public rides are expected later this year. Waymo already runs driverless taxis in more than 10 cities across the U.S. It is currently the biggest robotaxi operator in the country.
Waymo vs Tesla and Zoox
Alphabet owns Waymo, the company is the self-driving vehicle division of Google’s parent company, according to CNBC. Waymo is trying to stay ahead of rivals Tesla and Zoox. While Waymo is expanding quickly, both companies are also slowly entering more cities. Tesla is growing its robotaxi service beyond Austin. The company is expanding into other parts of Texas and also plans to operate in Miami.
Zoox is also preparing for a bigger launch. Amazon-owned Zoox plans to offer robotaxi rides to some members of the public in Austin and Miami later this year. Waymo had around 4,000 robotaxis in the U.S. as of May. These vehicles use the company’s fifth- and sixth-generation self-driving technology, according to U.S. auto safety filings.
New Ojai robotaxi
Denver riders will first get a new robotaxi called the Ojai. The Ojai is based on an electric vehicle made by Chinese automaker Geely. The vehicle uses Waymo’s own software and self-driving technology, cited by TechCrunch.
Waymo and Geely partnered in 2021. Denver was chosen because it helps Waymo test in colder weather. The city’s snowy conditions are useful for improving self-driving technology. The new Ojai robotaxi was designed for snow and difficult weather. It uses Waymo’s sixth-generation automated driving system, according to The Colorado Sun.
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Waymo safety and testing
Waymo says it spent several months preparing for the Denver launch. This included mapping roads, training the driving system, building local teams and speaking with community members, according to Waymo spokesperson Sandy Karp via The Colorado Sun. Driverless rides will initially cover neighborhoods including RiNo, Baker and Cherry Creek.
Waymo also hopes to add Denver International Airport in the future. Waymo says its vehicles have driven more than 220 million miles without a human driver. The company says its technology has reduced crashes by up to 94% compared with human drivers. The estimate is based on cities where Waymo already operates.
Self-driving cars still face safety challenges. Some Waymo vehicles have accidentally driven into flooded roads during extreme weather. Some robotaxis also faced problems during Fourth of July celebrations in San Francisco. Several cars got stuck in traffic until their batteries ran out, while another vehicle was seen driving toward fireworks, according to CNBC.
Waymo future plans
Government data shows automated vehicle crashes are being closely monitored. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recorded an average of about 120 automated driving system crashes per month during the first four months of this year, compared with 85 per month last year. Colorado reported three automated driving system crashes this year. The numbers come from NHTSA data, according to The Colorado Sun.
Waymo raised $16 billion in funding earlier this year. The investment came from Alphabet and other backers in February. The company is also preparing its first international launch. Waymo plans to begin driverless service in London later this year. Waymo says it has already completed more than 20 million autonomous rides. The company now aims to reach 1 million driverless trips every week by the end of the year.
