Waymo, a frontrunner in self-driving technology, is pushing forward with its autonomous car program by testing its self-driving taxis on the freeway for the first time. The company, known for its safe and proven experience in operating autonomous vehicles, announced in a press release that it will begin providing rider-only trips to its employees on freeways in Phoenix, Arizona.
Taking a phased approach, Waymo aims to gradually deploy its technology and operations, ensuring the safety and reliability of its self-driving taxis. With years of experience operating fleets of rider-only vehicles and autonomous class 8 trucks on public roads, Waymo is now ready to remove the autonomous specialist from its operations and allow the Waymo Driver to take full control on the highway.
A demonstration video posted by Waymo showcases how the Waymo Driver handles various freeway scenarios, including on-ramps, off-ramps, lane merges, and sharing the road with other vehicles. The video highlights the seamless and safe operation of both passenger vehicles and class 8 trucks using Waymo’s self-driving technology.
The addition of freeway capability to Waymo’s self-driving cars brings significant benefits, such as time savings. According to the company, traveling from Sky Harbor Airport to the northern parts of Scottsdale can be 50% faster by taking the freeway route compared to city streets. While testing is currently limited to Waymo employees, Waymo plans to open up freeway rides to customers in Phoenix in the near future.
This latest development from Waymo follows its expansion of ride-hailing services in San Francisco and its ongoing “Waymo One Tour” in Los Angeles. Waymo will be hosting “early access” events in several cities to give residents the opportunity to experience its fully autonomous ride-hailing service.
As Waymo moves forward with its self-driving car program, Tesla has recently faced recalls of over 1.6 million vehicles in China due to an Autopilot issue. In response, Tesla is rolling out a software update for all affected vehicles to address the problem and ensure the safe use of its advanced driver-assistance feature.
The source of the article is from the blog oinegro.com.br