Waymo, the autonomous vehicle subsidiary of Alphabet, has unveiled a new milestone in its robotaxi service, allowing its self-driving cars to navigate freeways in several major US cities. Originally starting with highway testing in the Bay Area in 2009, Waymo’s robotaxis are now operating driverless on freeways in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.
This advancement signifies a significant technical progression for Waymo, which already offers robotaxi services in five US metros and plans to expand to more cities domestically and internationally next year. Notably, Waymo will introduce curbside pickup and drop-off services at San Jose Mineta International Airport, enabling passengers to travel autonomously across a service area of 260 square miles.
Freeway driving presents both challenges and opportunities for autonomous vehicles, according to Waymo co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov. While highways offer predictability with clear signs and lane markings, mastering freeway driving requires complex recognition and prediction capabilities. Despite potential safety concerns, Waymo’s extensive testing aims to enhance the safety and efficiency of freeway travel for its robotaxi fleet.
Source: WIRED