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Waymo will start testing its robotaxis on highways in Phoenix with out a human security driver. The rides shall be out there solely to firm staff, and their visitors, to start out. Waymo’s autos have been allowed on highways however required a human security driver within the entrance seat to deal with any points.
This system will begin exterior of rush-hour intervals and will ultimately ramp as much as a 24-hour service. The shortcoming to make use of highways has been a downside of taking a robotaxi in comparison with conventional taxis or Ubers. Including freeway service may make journeys extra environment friendly and encourage extra folks to make use of the service. Waymo mentioned including highways may scale back drive occasions 50% on sure routes.
“The power to make the most of freeways shall be particularly essential as we scale our operations to different cities,” the corporate wrote in a weblog saying the freeway testing. “Because of this, we’re laser-focused on our freeway ride-hailing testing.”
When requested if there are velocity restrictions for its driverless checks on highways, a Waymo spokesperson instructed The Robotic Report: “The Waymo Driver abides by the posted velocity restrict however also can reply to dynamic conditions like lowering its velocity for development or adjusting its velocity to securely execute a lane change.”
Waymo operates its ride-hailing service throughout 225 sq. miles in metro Phoenix, but it surely solely makes use of floor streets. The corporate mentioned it has been step by step ramping up testing on highways over the past yr. It additionally has a robotaxi service up in working in San Francisco. It additionally not too long ago launched a robotaxi tour in Los Angeles in hopes of quickly launching a service there, too.
![A map comparing Waymo's autonomous driving routes.](https://www.therobotreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/waymo-highways-phoenix.jpg)
Instance Waymo One route utilizing highways (left) versus utilizing solely floor streets. | Credit score: Waymo
Waymo capitalizing on autonomous trucking expertise
Waymo has loads of freeway driving expertise due to its autonomous trucking service, Waymo By way of. It started quietly testing autonomous vans in 2017 earlier than launching a pilot in Atlanta in 2018 after which formally launching its trucking division in 2020. It had a number of partnerships, together with J.B. Hunt, Ryder, Uber Freight and UPS.
Nonetheless, Waymo pumped the brakes on autonomous trucking about six months in the past. It determined to “double down” on robotaxis. Whereas some engineers from the trucking division have been laid off, many took different positions on the firm. Whereas class-8 vans are definitely a lot totally different than robotaxis, Waymo is hoping to pivot a number of the expertise and classes discovered from vans to robotaxis.
One other potential differentiator
In the intervening time, Waymo doesn’t have a lot competitors within the U.S. Following many incidents, Cruise paused operations nationwide and laid off 900 staff, or 24% of its workforce. Might Mobility not too long ago launched an autonomous shuttle service for residents of a retirement group in Phoenix. However it’s a small deployment. Two autonomous minivans shall be out there to a choose group of early riders who stay in Solar Metropolis. The service will cowl about 4.5 miles of Solar Metropolis, bringing the early riders to a wide range of spots comparable to resident buildings, medical facilities, and different key places.
In December 2023, Waymo began providing curbside drop-off and pickup on the Phoenix airport. And in October 2023, its robotaxi service turned out there on Uber in Phoenix. Freeway driving could be a serious win for Waymo in Phoenix and, hopefully, different cities within the not-to-distant future.
![A Waymo robotaxi driving on a highway in Phoenix.](https://www.therobotreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/waymo-robotaxi-highway-driving.jpg)
A Waymo robotaxi driving on a freeway in Phoenix.